Unusual balance of payments
The data on the balance of payments in the first four months of 2023-24 has been released recently by the SBP (State Bank of Pakistan). There are both positive and…
Capacity payments conundrum
The matter of increased capacity payments to power plants has sparked a heated controversy. In recent years, these payments have more than doubled, from 1,082 billion rupees to nearly 2,153…
‘Magic moment’ for Italian bonds as foreign interest revives
International investors look poised to reverse a decade of disinvestment from Italian government bonds, as high yields and encouraging economic reports spur demand for the debt, latest data shows and…
Imbalanced balance of payments
There has been appreciation of the success achieved in bringing down the current account deficit in the external balance of payments by over 45% in the first four months of…
Improvement in balance of payments
The balance of payments for the month of August 2022 shows a visible improvement. Not only has the current account deficit fallen sharply by 42% in relation to the level…
High interest rates: a misguided policy for Pakistan
Pakistan's interest rates have intentionally been maintained at a high level for the past months, in a miscalculated effort to control inflation by means of a contractionary monetary policy. Although…
Apple hit with antitrust case in India over in-app payments issues
Apple Inc is facing an antitrust challenge in India for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the apps market by forcing developers to use its proprietary in-app purchase system, according…
As interest rates go up
New Zealand became the latest country, and among the first in the first world, to raise interest rates on Wednesday as inflationary concerns and an out-of-control housing market forced the…
Interest rate under pressure
PRESSURE continues to mount on interest rates as markets remain stubbornly wedded to their expectation of a rate hike in the near future. The latest auction of government debt instruments…
Economic Survey – interesting bits
It is rather boring to belong to a small minority, if not the only one, who reads the Economic Survey; you miss out on the debate. And while on the…
