Wednesday, April 15 2026

PSX rallies as Saudi Arabia pledges $3bn, KSE-100 nears 170,000
Buying rally continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as investors rejoiced after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia committed $3 billion in additional deposits to Pakistan, pushing the benchmark KSE-100 Index above the 170,000 level during the opening minutes of trading on Wednesday. At 9:24am, the benchmark index was hovering at 169,922.18, up by 4,287.34 points or 2.59%. Across-the-board buying interest was observed, including key sectors, i.e. cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation and refinery. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, PRL, OGDC, POL, PPL, MARI, HBL, MCB, MEBL and UBL, traded in the green. In a key development, Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb informed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has committed $3 billion in additional deposits, with disbursement expected in the coming week.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

Govt eyes $10bn rice exports, assures support to exporters
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged rice exporters to set an ambitious target of $10 billion in rice exports and assured them of full support from his ministry and port authorities. Chaudhry, accompanied by Chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed, visited the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) to discuss export growth and port facilitation measures, read an official statement on Tuesday. During the visit, REAP Chairman Malik Faisal Jahangir briefed the delegation on the performance of the rice sector, describing it as a $4 billion industry with a target to reach $5 billion. He also highlighted plans to bring nearly 30 million acres of land under cultivation to boost production and exports.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc

Pakistan in talks with China, KSA to repay UAE loan: report
Pakistan is in talks with Saudi Arabia and China to repay a loan of about $3 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. The development comes after Pakistan “failed to reach an agreement with the UAE to roll over the debt for the first time in seven years”, prompting Islamabad to arrange alternative funding. As per the report, the amount of support under discussion is over $3.5 billion.What options does Pakistan have to pay off $3.5bn UAE loan? The UAE had sought a shorter rollover period of less than a year, which Pakistan did not accept. However, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described the repayment as a “routine financial transaction,” said Bloomberg. The loan had been rolled over since 2018, including a $3 billion facility at around 6% annual interest, but was shifted from annual to monthly extensions earlier this year before Islamabad decided to repay it in full, with clearance expected by April 23, a government official told Reuters.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc

Auto Policy likely to be unveiled on July 1
The Ministry of Industries and Production reviewed the draft ‘Auto Policy’, which is expected to be unveiled on July 1, 2026, and stated that the policy focuses on localization to help bring vehicle prices down. In this connection, a meeting was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, with a delegation of auto parts manufacturers to discuss the forthcoming auto policy and measures for strengthening the local industry. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of Industries and Production, Saif Anjum, and the CEO of the Engineering Development Board (EDB), Hammad Mansoor, along with other relevant stakeholders. During the meeting, detailed deliberations were held on the new auto policy, with a strong emphasis on the localization of auto parts manufacturing.
Related news categories: auto-assembler business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

Seized petroleum products worth Rs222m: Senate panel seeks report from customs authorities
A parliamentary panel on Tuesday sought a report from the Customs authorities regarding the whereabouts of petroleum products worth Rs 222 million that were seized over the past five years. The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was held here on Tuesday under the convenership of Senator Saifullah Abro. The meeting discussed the alleged theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from FBR godowns located in Swabi and Mardan, and questioned where petroleum products confiscated by the Customs over the last five years had been transported. Senator Saifullah Abro directed the concerned authorities to submit a comprehensive report tracing the movement and final destination of the seized fuel. He remarked that individuals involved in petroleum smuggling often openly make their videos, while the Customs authorities appear to have remained inactive. He further noted that petroleum smuggling continues openly in Balochistan.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc