Monday, November 03 2025

Bank profits rise despite weak private credit demand
Banks continued to post strong profits in the third quarter of calendar year 2025, remaining the only sector with steady, low-risk earnings driven largely by government borrowing. According to a report by Topline Securities issued on Friday, listed banks recorded a combined profit of Rs170bn in 3Q2025, reflecting an increase of 8pc year-on-year (YoY) and 2pc quarter-on-quarter (QoQ). The banking sector’s assets have been expanding faster than any other industry in the country, yet lending to the private sector has dropped to its lowest level. Nearly four months into the current fiscal year, net private-sector credit off-take remains negligible.
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Friday, October 31 2025

BoK achieves record PBT, surpassing Rs10bn mark in 9M25
Bank of Khyber (BoK) has achieved an exceptional financial performance for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, crossing a historic milestone with profit before tax exceeding Rs 10 billion. The Bank recorded a 34 percent growth in Total Income, reaching Rs 18,172 million compared to Rs 13,540 million in the same period last year. Profit before tax surged to Rs 10,604 million against Rs 6,081 million in 9M 2024, while profit after tax also rose significantly to Rs 4,973 million, as compared to Rs 2,632 million same period last year. This remarkable upward trajectory reflects BOK’s continued focus on business growth, service excellence, and strong customer confidence.
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Wednesday, October 29 2025

Banks’ investment in govt papers rises Rs5.8tr
Scheduled banks’ investments rose by over Rs5.8 trillion during the first nine months of 2025, reflecting both their continued preference for government securities and the state’s growing financing needs. According to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data, total investments of scheduled banks stood at Rs35.85 trillion by September 2025, up from Rs30tr in January — an increase of 19.3 per cent. The banking sector’s assets reached 52.4 per cent of GDP in FY25, compared to 49.1pc in the preceding fiscal year. The SBP noted that the sector remained stable across key indicators, though concerns persist over the limited flow of credit to the private sector. Banks continue to rely heavily on government papers for profits, while private lending remains subdued.
Related news categories: business comm-banks economic-indicators misc

Friday, October 24 2025

Bank Alfalah reports Rs21.44bn PAT for 9M
Bank Alfalah Limited has reported a profit after tax (PAT) of PKR 21.44 billion for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, translating into earnings per share (EPS) of PKR 13.59 compared to PKR 21.32 in the same period last year. The Board of Directors announced a third interim cash dividend of PKR 2.50 per share (25 percent), taking the cumulative cash dividend for the year to PKR 7.50 per share (75 percent), up from PKR 6.00 per share (60 percent) in the corresponding period of 2024. Total deposits stood at PKR 2.17 trillion at the close of the period. The bank noted that its strategy shift at the end of last year focusing on growing average deposit balances rather than period-end balances had strengthened its net interest income (NII) and improved the efficiency of its cost of deposits. The approach aimed to build a more stable and profitable deposit base through improved spreads.
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HBL’s 9M’25 PBT soars 31pc to Rs112.2bn YoY
HBL on Thursday declared a record profit before tax of Rs 112.2 billion for the first nine months of 2025, 31 percent higher than in the same period last year. Despite higher tax rates burdening the banking sector, profit after tax increased 19 percent to Rs 51.4 billion. EPS for 9M’25 improved to Rs 34.97 from Rs 30.03 in 9M’24. Along with the results, the bank declared an interim dividend of Rs 5.0 per share for the quarter. HBL’s balance sheet has grown by 20 percent since the start of the year, to Rs 7.2 trillion. With total deposits of Rs 5.1 trillion, the bank continues to lead the industry, with domestic deposits increasing by 18 percent to Rs 4.3 trillion. Current account mobilization remained a key focus for the bank; a growth of Rs 384 billion over Dec’24 helped maintain the CA mix at above 40 percent, while the CASA ratio stood at 87 percent.
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Related symbols: hbl (news stock)