Thursday, December 11 2025

SBP raises Rs1.172tr in debt auctions
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised a combined Rs1.172 trillion through its latest treasury bill and Pakistan Investment Bond (PIB) floater auctions, surpassing the Rs1.1 trillion aggregate target as robust bidding, totalling more than Rs2.45 trillion, drove a slight easing of yields and underscored investor confidence in a steady monetary policy landscape. The T-bill auction alone fetched Rs981 billion against a Rs1,000 billion goal, with cut-off yields dipping up to four basis points (bps) to 10.85% on one-month paper, while 10-year PIB floaters pulled in Rs191 billion out of bids of Rs523 billion, pricing at 95.5 for an implied 11.69% rate. This windfall, amid easing inflation and pre-monetary policy anticipation, bolsters government funding while hinting at potential rate-cut tailwinds for the December 15 review.
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ADB upgrades growth outlook for Pakistan
Despite the disruption caused by mid-year floods, Pakistan's growth outlook for both fiscal year 2025 and 2026 has been upgraded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as indicated in its latest report released on Wednesday. The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) December 2025 noted that, despite the challenges posed by June floods, Pakistan's economy grew 5.7% in the fourth quarter of FY25. The report also highlighted strong performance by the large-scale manufacturing sector in recent months. "Pakistan's growth outlook for FY2025 has been revised upwards following a stronger-than-expected performance in Q4," the report stated. It added that the government of Pakistan had updated its GDP growth estimate for FY25 to 3%, up from the previously projected 2.7%.
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Pakistani auto parts gain interest in Dubai
With Pakistani manufacturers actively engaging at Automechanika Dubai 2025, experts stressed that the nation stands at a crucial crossroads: opportunity is expanding, but real progress will require structural reforms, improved export readiness and a coordinated, sector-wide strategy. Automechanika Dubai 2025, underway from December 9-11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, is witnessing one of its most dynamic editions to date, drawing more than 2,300 exhibitors from over 60 countries. Global manufacturers, technology developers, EV innovators and after-market suppliers have converged to showcase next-generation automotive solutions, with Pakistan marking a relatively prominent presence through both pavilion representation and independent corporate participation.
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China continues to source nearly 51pc of global copper imports from global markets
China continues to source nearly 51 percent of its global copper imports from international markets, including Pakistan. Recognizing the increasing potential of this sector in 2025, Nazir Hussain, President Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), emphasized the importance of integrating modern technology and advanced mining practices to further accelerate copper trade with China. President PCJCCI shared that Pakistan’s copper and copper-related exports have witnessed remarkable progress over the past decade. He recalled that in earlier years, copper exports were valued at only USD 106 million, but by 2021, shipments to China alone had reached USD 600 million and the upward trajectory is expected to continue in 2025. He highlighted that copper mining and processing require advanced technological expertise, an area where Chinese companies, particularly the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), have played a pivotal role since the development of the Saindak Copper-Gold Project in 1995.
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Punjab sugar output tops 0.43m tonnes this season
Sugar mills in Punjab have so far produced slightly over 0.43 million tonnes of sugar during the ongoing crushing season, supported by uninterrupted operations across the province, according to Cane Commissioner Punjab Amjad Hafeez. He stated that mills have completed crushing of 5.41 million tonnes of sugarcane to date, while total sugar stocks in Punjab have reached 0.54 million tonnes as of December 9. These include 112,116 tonnes carried over from last year, a volume he described as comfortably above provincial requirements. The Cane Commissioner noted a marked reduction in sugar prices since the start of the season. The ex-mill price, previously ranging between Rs171–178 per kg, has declined to Rs154–163 per kg, reflecting a drop of Rs15–17 per kg. Retail prices have similarly fallen by Rs10–15 per kg, with expectations of further easing in the coming days, he hoped.
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