Markets roll back fears of big ground invasion
A recent Bloomberg report notes: Asked on Friday whether Israel should delay the ground operation, President Joe Biden told reporters “Yes.” However, the White House later clarified that the president…
Fragile oil markets
As lockdowns ease globally oil demand has picked up, causing in turn a bounce-back in prices of both Brent crude and WTI (West Texas Intermediate). On April 21, 2020, both…
Pandemic’s second wave and oil markets
For an industry still heavily scarred by the events of March and April, when prices went into free-fall as widespread lockdowns cut global oil consumption by around a quarter, the…
Despite virus rout on markets, hygiene firms clean up
This week’s virus-related markets slump has hammered companies worldwide but some winners have emerged as an anxious public clamours for face masks, hand sanitizers and cleaning products. Thermal imaging cameras…
Fragile balance of payments
There is a growing perception today that we face an incipient financial crisis in our external transactions. Is this happening suddenly due to a 'shock' like a big jump in…
A stronger trade policy
The first four months of 2017-18 have witnessed a further deterioration in the balance of payments position. The trade deficit has risen by 41 percent to $ 9.7 billion. Exports…
Rising global economic uncertainties
‘Businesses, governments, and investors were already navigating a foggy global landscape before the tragic events unfolding in the Middle East. …Even in the highly unlikely event that the geopolitical situation…
Three years after DirectBooks, US bond market still phoning it in
Wall Street’s three-year effort to modernize the way billions of dollars of new corporate bonds are sold via phone, chat message or email, is making slow progress. Broad adoption of…
Eccentric currency market reforms
September 2023 holds some significant importance for Pakistan, marked by a series of notable events. In the first week of this month, we witnessed unusual and rapid surge in the…
World Bank needs to revisit its policy and lending focus
In its recently released report ‘Pakistan development update October 2023: restoring fiscal sustainability’ the World Bank (WB), just like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) policy thinking, including as highlighted in…
