Pakistan’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 7% in February 2026, marking its highest level since October 2024 as electricity price hikes and mounting global risks added pressure to household budgets. Data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed the consumer price index (CPI) rose 6.98% year-on-year in February, up from 5.8% in January and […]
economic outlook
Moody’s revises Pakistan banking sector outlook from positive to stable
ISLAMABAD – International credit rating agency Moody’s has revised the outlook for Pakistan banking sector from positive to stable, citing both gradual improvements in the economy and persistent structural risks. In its latest assessment, Moody’s noted that Pakistan’s banking sector has remained resilient despite a challenging operating environment. The agency highlighted strong profitability, largely driven […]
PSX crosses 190,000 amid SBP rate-cut expectations
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) surged past the 190,000 mark for the first time on Monday, driven by expectations of a 50-basis-point cut by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and easing geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran. Read More: PSX rebounds, gains 655 points to close at 187,688 The benchmark KSE-100 Index touched […]
Federal development spending remains slow in first five months
Development spending under the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) remained weak during the first five months of the current fiscal year, with utilisation reaching only 9.2 per cent of the annual allocation. The slowdown reflects fiscal rationing as the government works to meet contingency measures agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Read More: […]
Pakistan’s Economic Outlook Remains Mixed
Pakistan’s economic outlook showed mixed signals as the government shared new data on Friday. The current account deficit rose 256 percent, while inflation stayed between 5 and 6 percent due to food price pressure. Industrial activity improved with reforms, yet key fiscal indicators weakened and stayed below last year’s levels. The report noted that tax […]
PSX extends losses as investors opt for profit-taking
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a decline on Thursday as investors engaged in profit-taking ahead of the weekend, leading to a downward trend in the benchmark KSE-100 index. During intraday trading, the KSE-100 index dropped by 513.85 points, settling at 166,039.42 points, marking a 0.31 percent decline compared to the previous close of […]
ADB maintains Pakistan’s growth forecast at 3%, inflation at 5.8%
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has kept its economic outlook for Pakistan unchanged for the current fiscal year. In its Asian Development Outlook report, ADB maintained Pakistan’s GDP growth forecast at 3%. It also kept the average inflation estimate at 5.8%, showing no revisions since its April 2025 report. This projection contrasts with the targets […]