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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr 16…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17 R…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.71 6.21 2 – Week 5.73 6.23 1 – Month 5.76 6.26 3 – Month 5.89 6.14 6 – Month 5.91 6.16 9 – Month 5.95 6.45 1 – Year 5.96 6.46 2 – Year 6.07 6.57 3- Year 6.21 6.71

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding][tie_list type=”plus”] PAKISTAN – ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous MARKETS Currency 105 Aug/17 105 Stock Market 45629 points Aug/17 45999 LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month Dec/16 16909 Wages High Skilled 43600 PKR/Month Jun/16…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female 67.3…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INTEREST RATES DATE (%) 26-Jan-15 8.5 24-Mar-15 8.0 25-May-15 6.5 14-Sep-15 6 23-May-16 till date 5.75

GBP/USD WEEKLY OVERVIEW Pound traded close to 11 Months high against weak Dollar on Wednesday as it was expected that Bank of England might take some decision regarding hike in interest rates. It is also point of satisfaction that purchasing manager’s index survey has reflected a strong growth in Britain’s construction industry and manufacturing sector. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney declared no change in interest rates and stressed the need to keep the interest rates at a record low. Eventually Pound dipped down as much as 0.8% against the Dollar to $ 1.3113. TECHNICAL STUDY USING LUTFI MAGNET THEORY…

TSX DECLINES IN BROAD RETREAT LEAD BY ENERGY STOCKS Canada’s main stock index fell on Thursday, weighed by a broad retreat led by energy sector losses as crude prices dropped, while major oil sands producer Canadian Natural Resources Ltd bucked the trend after a positive earnings surprise. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index unofficially ended down 73.67 points, or 0.48 percent, at 15,191.96. All 10 of its main sectors ended in the red. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] NIKKEI DECLINES AS STRONGER YEN CASTS SHADOW; FLAT FOR THE WEEK Japan’s Nikkei share average slipped on Friday as the yen’s rise…

MARKET REVIEW The week started off on a bullish note continuing last week’s bullish rally amid clarity on the political situation. The index gained 2.1%WoW to close at 46,877 points. Investor confidence also increased in the market as indicated by a significant surge in ADT and ADTV rising 75.9%WoW and 61.6%WoW to 349mn shares and USD157mn respectively. FIPI continued to remain net outflow during the week (USD41mn). PBS reported inflation of 2.91%YoY in Jul’17 as compared to 3.93%YoY and 4.12%YoY in Jun’17 and Jul’16 respectively. The inflation numbers were largely below consensus estimates where the industry expected inflation to clock…

KSE-100 INDEX RECOVERS ON POLITICAL CLARITY, GAINED 2.1% WOW SUMMARY The disqualification of PM last week Friday led the market to a clear direction as it gained 618 points on Last Friday. The present week saw positivity in the market for four days as there were decisions made in the Parliament for the election of new PM from the same party PML(N) and the formation of the new government. This led to confidence of investors on the political front as it gained 1122.31 point on the first four days of week. The investors on Last day of the week Friday…

After Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, took oath as an interim Prime Minister, political uncertainty subsided to some extent. The week ended 4th August witnessed addition of 965 points, taking the benchmark index of Pakistan Stock Exchange to 46,877 points. Average daily traded volumes grew by almost 76%WoW to 349 million shares. The top volume leaders were: ANL, BOP, KEL, TRG and ASL. While major gainers for the week were: PSO, KEL, PTC, UBL and EFERT; the laggards included: HBL, FFC, PPL, INDU, and ABL. Key news flows during the week included: 1) The Government of Pakistan directed for immediate release of…

PAKISTAN: US POLITICIAN WASSERMAN SCHULTZ FIRES PAKISTANI-ORIGIN IT STAFFER ARRESTED FOR FRAUD: United States (US) Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz fired a Pakistani-origin information technology (IT) staffer following his arrest on a bank fraud charge at a Virginia airport where he was attempting to fly to Lahore. CCP IMPOSES PKR.10 MILLION PENALTY ON PROCTOR & GAMBLE: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has passed an order imposing a penalty of PKR 10 million on Proctor & Gamble Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited for deceptively advertising its product ‘Safeguard’ as ‘Pakistan’s No. 1 rated Anti-Bacterial Soap’ in violation of Section 10 of the…

TONNES OF GOLD: 9% JUMP IN DUBAI SALES Dubai: Gold jewellery sales in the UAE picked up slightly — by 9 per cent — in the second quarter to total 12.2 tonnes from a year ago. But retailers have little to cheer about as the Q2-17 total represents a dip from the 14.5 tonnes recorded in the first three months of this year, according to the latest updates from World Gold Council. There were also some gains in demand for gold bars and coins during the April to June period. To put the numbers in perspective, the best performance UAE…

OIL SALES INCREASE IN JULY AS DEMAND PICKS UP PACE Sales of petroleum products rose to 2.31 million tons in July 2017, up 9percent month-on-month and 8percent year-on-year, showed data released by the Oil Companies Advisory Council, as demand picked up in the wake of resumption of smooth transport activities after Ramazan and Eid holidays. In June 2017, oil sales stood at 2.12 million tons whereas in July last year the figure was 2.14 million tons. According to a report prepared by research house Shajar Capital, product-wise data depicted that motor spirit (petrol) sales increased from 566,000 tons in June…

GST IMPACT: SERVICES ACTIVITY CONTRACTS TO 4-YEAR LOW IN JULY, SAYS REPORT NEW DELHI: The services sector contracted in July and fell to its lowest level in nearly four years following implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), showed a monthly survey on Thursday. The Nikkei India Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a pointer to services output on a monthly basis, plunged to 45.9 in July, the lowest since September 2013, from June’s eight-month high of 53.1. The July services PMI also signalled the first downturn in output since the start of this year. “PMI data for July highlight…

YOUTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON SAFE CHARITY Bargad, an organization for youth development, held a press conference in Karachi Press Club and briefed about progress of its ongoing project, entitled, “Safe Charity Awareness Campaign”. Bushra Sadiq, project coordinator of the campaign, informed during the press conference that objective of the project is to sensitize particularly the business community about safe charity practices and promote credible and well-documented non-profit organizations and charities as rightful recipients of public donations in Karachi. “This is in view of the risks that many militant organizations may try to collect funds through their front welfare organizations”, she…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr 16…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17 R…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.72 6.22 2 – Week 5.74 6.24 1 – Month 5.78 6.28 3 – Month 5.88 6.13 6 – Month 5.90 6.15 9 – Month 5.94 6.44 1 – Year 5.96 6.46 2 – Year 6.06 6.56 3- Year 6.20 6.70

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding][tie_list type=”plus”] PAKISTAN | ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous MARKETS Currency 105 Aug/17 105 Stock Market 46835 points Aug/17 46533 LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month Dec/16 16909 Wages High Skilled 43600 PKR/Month Jun/16…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female 67.3…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INTEREST RATES DATE (%) 26-Jan-15 8.5 24-Mar-15 8.0 25-May-15 6.5 14-Sep-15 6 23-May-16 till date 5.75

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n promoting the education and providing international exposure to the students of Pakistan, Iqra University has joined hands with the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations – of which Hunaid is a corporate member – as a sister concern. Recently KCFR along with Iqra University has signed MoU of cooperation in the field of education and research with the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations – MGIMO University. This milestone will pave the way for students and faculty exchange programmes between MGIMO and Iqra University. Both organisations can now organise joint symposiums, conferences and seminars in which scholars from both…

GBP/USD WEEKLY OVERVIEW Movement of pound remained under the clouds of Brexit negotiation in Belgian Capital Brussels on Monday. Although these negotiations have entered into nerve shattering phase as all EU leaders are demanding solutions of the problem in shape of a plan that can minimize economic and social disruption across Europe. On the other hand British government has given green signal to meet its financial obligations towards European Union. Meanwhile, British inflation data on Tuesday showed unexpected sluggish trend in UK. Eventually pound rose above $1.31 to 10 months high this week as the dollar fell across the board.…

MARKET REVIEW The week started off on a dull note where investors tracked Supreme Court proceeding on case against the incumbent government. Exchange of statements and submission of documents by the defendant induced uncertainty in local bourse. Despite all political noises looming around, the market returned 2.15%WoW to close at 45,294 points. FIPI registered net outflow of USD2.0mn. Market participation remained thin as average volume traded decreased by 23.3%WoW while average value traded declined by 22.5%WoW. During the week, ECC approved export of 0.3mn tons of sugar against the demand of 0.6mn tons to avoid price escalation. This is in…

INDEX POSTS PROFIT AS TRADING ACTIVITY RETURNS TO NORMALCY AFTER PM DISQUALIFICATION SUMMARY Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) heaves a sigh of relief on Friday as Panama Papers case verdict over Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif puts an end to the uncertainty being hanging in the minds of investors on the way forward for stock exchange. The trading pattern of PSX operations during the week points to the fact that it had already taken into account the anticipated disqualification factor as verdict was expected this week. The strength of PSX remained intact as during Monday and Tuesday the market showed positivity and…

PAKISTAN: JAZZ PARTNERS WITH SMARTLINK TO INTRODUCE XIAOMI SMART DEVICES: Jazz, has collaborated with Smartlink to bring in Xiaomi’s amazing new product line of smart devices aimed at elevating customers’ smartphone experience. The smart devices portfolio of Xiaomi will include headphones, hands free and power banks. MICROSOFT Q4 & FISCAL 2017 REPORT- REACHING FOR THE CLOUDS: A few days back tech giant Microsoft released their earning reports for Q4 and 2017’s fiscal year. One of the biggest takeaways from the year is that Gaming is now one of the largest areas of Microsoft. GOOGLE PLAY MUSIC TWEAK ADDS A…

ETIHAD AIRWAYS SWINGS TO $1.87B LOSSES Dubai: Etihad Airways reported on Thursday $1.87 billion in net losses for 2016, a significant plunge from the $103 million in profits recorded in 2015. The drop was supported by $1.9 billion the airline paid in impairments. The figures mark the first time that Etihad has reported losses since 2011. In a statement, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier attributed the losses to one-off impairment charges and fuel hedging losses. Etihad also reported $8.36 billion in total revenues in 2016, a 7 per cent decline over the $9 billion in revenues recorded in 2015. “A culmination…

ICCI WANTS UNIFORM ‘NATIONAL ST’ Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Khalid Iqbal Malik urged the government to implement a single national sales tax in a statement released on Friday. Malik said the move will help in streamlining the taxation system and improving tax revenue of the country. “Under the current sales tax regime, businesses have to pay multiple sales tax at federal and provincial levels due to which the cost of doing business has gone up,” he said, adding that the introduction of a unified sales tax structure will help in integrating the country’s economy and facilitating…

MARUTI Q1 NET PROFIT GROWS 4.4% TO RS 1,556 CRORE Maruti Suzuki, the country’s top-selling car maker, posted a quarterly profit that missed estimates even though sales grew steadily, as a rise in commodity prices and the impact of a new nationwide sales tax ate into earnings. The company, majority-owned by Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp , announced on Thursday a profit of Rs 1,556.40 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, up 4.4 per cent from the year-ago quarter. This was below the Rs 1,701 crore average estimate of analysts. Maruti, which provides the bulk of Suzuki Motor’s revenues,…

PAK-QATAR FAMILY TAKAFUL DISTRIBUTES 28PC SURPLUS FOR 2016 Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited (PQFTL) has announced the distribution of 28 percent surplus among its Individual Family Takaful Participants (Direct Sales Force-DSF) for the year 2016. With this declaration of Surplus, PQFTL is the only Takaful operator in Pakistan to declare distributable Surplus for Individual Family Takaful in all nine years of its operations. The single-rate method has been adopted to calculate the Surplus and will be distributed amongst the participants through a defined manner in relation to the “Cumulative Net Contribution’ received in the IFTPF (Individual Family Takaful Participant Fund) by…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr 16…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17 R…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.71 6.21 2 – Week 5.75 6.25 1 – Month 5.77 6.27 3 – Month 5.89 6.14 6 – Month 5.89 6.14 9 – Month 5.94 6.44 1 – Year 5.96 6.46 2 – Year 6.05 6.55 3- Year 6.19 6.69

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding][tie_list type=”plus”] PAKISTAN – ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous MARKETS Currency 105 Jul/17 105 Stock Market 45962 points Jul/17 45908 LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month Dec/16 16909 Wages High Skilled 43600 PKR/Month Jun/16…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female 67.3…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INTEREST RATES DATE (%) 26-Jan-15 8.5 24-Mar-15 8.0 25-May-15 6.5 14-Sep-15 6 23-May-16 till date 5.75

GBP/USD WEEKLY OVERVIEW Movement of pound remained under the clouds of Brexit negotiation in Belgian Capital Brussels on Monday. Although these negotiations have entered into nerve shattering phase as all EU leaders are demanding solutions of the problem in shape of a plan that can minimize economic and social disruption across Europe. On the other hand British government has given green signal to meet its financial obligations towards European Union. Meanwhile, British inflation data on Tuesday showed unexpected sluggish trend in UK. Eventually pound rose above $1.31 to 10 months high this week as the dollar fell across the board.…

MARKET REVIEW The week started off on a dull note where investors tracked Supreme Court proceeding on case against the incumbent government. Exchange of statements and submission of documents by the defendant induced uncertainty in local bourse. Despite all political noises looming around, the market returned 2.15%WoW to close at 45,294 points. FIPI registered net outflow of USD2.0mn. Market participation remained thin as average volume traded decreased by 23.3%WoW while average value traded declined by 22.5%WoW. During the week, ECC approved export of 0.3mn tons of sugar against the demand of 0.6mn tons to avoid price escalation. This is in…

ONGOING PANAMA HEARING WEEK KEEPS INVESTORS REMAIN LARGELY SIDELINED SUMMARY The continuous hearing of Panama Papers case by Supreme Court has the impact of investors to being cautious and in result lower participation at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).The average volume of turnover, which was around average 174 million shares a week earlier dropped to average of 134 million this week. Decision making by stock investors were on hold as each day at Panama case brought new tidings for the investors, which were in uncertain mode. Its finally subside on Friday, last day of week, when Supreme Court decides to reserve…

PAKISTAN: PAKISTAN IS ATTENDING A MICROSOFT GLOBAL PARTNER EVENT ‘INSPIRE’: A 16-member delegation of IT professionals from Pakistan is attending a Microsoft Global Partner event “Inspire” being held in Washington from July 9-13. The delegation on Tuesday met Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States at the Embassy and discussed matters relating to IT sector in the country. SAMSUNG MADE A GIANT 34-FOOT LED TV FOR MOVIE THEATERS: Samsung’s been working for years on product designs to keep you consuming entertainment from the comfort of your own home, now they are moving to work with movie theaters. WHY YOU NEED A…

HOW THE ‘RICH KIDS’ OF DUBAI ARE SPENDING THEIR FORTUNES Dubai: In today’s era of Instagram, Facebook and social media, there’s an endless stream of posts flaunting wealth. But there’s at least one social media account that’s growing in popularity, and letting the underprivileged – those who can’t afford a Dh1,000-per-person afternoon tea at the world’s tallest tower – only swoon with envy. The ‘Rich Kids of Dubai’ on Instagram gives a glimpse into the glamourous lives of youngsters living in the UAE, who are flush with cash and parading their fortunes via Loubutins, Chanels, Ferraris or Lamborghinis, and exotic…

CURRENCY: PKR STRENGTHENS AGAINST $ The rupee strengthened against the dollar at 105.25/105.45 in the inter-bank market on Friday compared to Thursday’s close of 105.3/105.5, Kamal Hayder, Research Analyst-PAGE said. The currency market has fluctuated regularly in recent months with hefty rises and falls on some occasions. In the long run, however, the rupee has stood firm after experiencing extensive volatility, when it weakened from around Rs98 to a dollar to above Rs103 in the wake of political impasse over alleged election rigging. The central bank has imposed 100% cash margin on the import of certain consumer goods to restrict…

SHAH RUKH KHAN, BACHCHAN FAMILY AND AJAY DEVGN GET ED NOTICES OVER FOREX REMITTANCES MUMBAI: It’s not just Shah Rukh Khan who is battling a barrage of questions from the Enforcement Directorate. All members of the Bachchan family have been asked by the government agency to share details of their foreign exchange remittances over the past 13 years. Bollywood action hero Ajay Devgn has also received a notice from the agency seeking information on his cross-border remittances. Amitabh Bachchan, wife Jaya, son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya and Devgn were served notices a little over a month ago under Section 37 of…

SBP KEEPS INTEREST RATE UNCHANGED AT 5.75PC The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has decided to maintain the interest rate at 5.75 percent in its new monetary policy announced on Saturday. According to the Monetary Policy Statement announced by SBP on Saturday, three features of Pakistan’s economy stand out. First, average headline inflation though higher than FY17 is expected to be lower than earlier outlook and will stay below the target of 6.0 percent, mainly on the back of favorable supply conditions. Second, domestic demand is set to gain further traction as evidenced in the current growth in the real…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17 R…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.71 6.21 2 – Week 5.74 6.24 1 – Month 5.78 6.28 3 – Month 5.88 6.13 6 – Month 5.89 6.14 9 – Month 5.93 6.43 1 – Year 5.95 6.45 2 – Year 6.06 6.56 3- Year 6.21 6.71

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding][tie_list type=”plus”] PAKISTAN – ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous MARKETS Currency 105 Jul/17 105 Stock Market 45504 points Jul/17 45419 LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month Dec/16 16909 Wages High Skilled 43600 PKR/Month Jun/16…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female 67.3…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INTEREST RATES DATE (%) 26-Jan-15 8.5 24-Mar-15 8.0 25-May-15 6.5 14-Sep-15 6 23-May-16 till date 5.75

INDEX RECOVERS AFTER DROPPING TO YEAR’S LOWEST LEVEL SUMMARY Stock exchange remained under the influence of joint investigation team (JIT) report throughout the week as it was presented on Monday to the Supreme Court. The political scenario developed during the findings of the report had somehow its impact on the investors who were cautious in their trading as the volume this week remained low at an average of 174 million shares while market capitalization declined to Rs9.109 trillion. KSE-100 Index surged 1,051 points on Monday when JIT submitted its report. The order of the Supreme Court that adjourned the proceedings…

MARKET REVIEW The week started off on a positive note as market participants initially interpreted the JIT report to be not as damaging. However, index shed 4.7% next day as more clarity emerged on discrepancies identified in evidence provided by ruling party. The local bourse remained volatile on expected hearing by Supreme Court on Panama-gate, scheduled next week. The market went down 2.0%WoW to close at 44,337 points level. Foreigners remained net buyers in the week with a net FIPI inflow of USD1.0mn. However, trading activity in the week picked up with ADT and ADTV witnessing an increase of 5.2%WoW…

PAKISTAN STOCKS TAKE 554-POINT GAIN AMID LOW TURNOVER The stock market posted a slight recovery to end its three-day losing streak on Friday, and close the week on a positive note, albeit on low turnover. Overall, trading volumes fell to 112 million shares compared with Thursday’s tally of 165 million. Shares of 340 companies were traded. At the end of the day, value of 240 stocks closed higher, 83 declined while 17 remained unchanged. Silk Bank was the volume leader with 8.3 million shares, gaining Rs0.01 to close at Rs1.49. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] US SHARES…

GBP/USD WEEKLY OVERVIEW Pound dipped to a two week low on Monday over the Bank of England warning regarding hike in interest rates. Major companies squeezed their investments and consumers observed cautious reaction on their spending policy. Pound traded as low as $1.2 855 on Tuesday its weakest since June 28, 2017 before inched up to $1.2878 showing sluggish output in UK construction, manufacturing and industrial sector. On Tuesday pound again dipped against the dollar to low as $1.2832 and later edged up back to $1.2854 as dollar fell after US President Donald Trump’s son released an email about Russian…

YES BANK GETS ANOTHER $150 MN FROM OPIC TO FUND SME LENDING New Delhi, July 13 Private sector Yes Bank has received another round of USD 150 million funding from US government and Wells Fargo to fund SME lending. This is the third round of funding as part of arrangement between the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) — US government development finance institution — and Wells Fargo, with the objective to increase lending to small and medium enterprises in India. OPIC will provide USD 75 million in financing to Yes Bank and up to USD 75 million as a syndicated…

IMF, PAK FAIL TO SEE EYE TO EYE IN ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMY Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF) remained poles apart in their assessment of the country’s economy, as Islamabad took an optimistic view of the external and fiscal sector while the global lender cautioned about emerging challenges that are posing risks to the favourable outlook. The IMF once again sought significant devaluation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar to curb external sector challenges, as it said that foreign exchange reserves have already fallen “below a comfortable level”. The IMF released on Thursday the Article-IV consultation report on…

PAKISTAN: SAFE CITY PROJECT ALLOCATING TO HUAWEI WILL DO IT AT A TISK OF PROJECTS BEING LEFT: Chairman Consumer Rights Protection Bureau Dr Jamal Mirza has said that American government is expanding investigation into Huawei breaking trade control Laws on Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Syria. ISHAQ DAR HAS REJECTED THE BASELESS ALLEGATION ABOUT MARRIAGE WITH MNA: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has rejected the baseless allegation against him being circulated by a section of the social media. According to Finance Minister’s spokesman, Ishaq Dar has never given any assurance to the JIT during his appearance that he will furnish documentary evidence…

GOLD HITS BIGGEST FALL SINCE MARCH Dubai: More bargains await jewellery fans who will hit the shops in Dubai this week, as the bullion remains weak and looks set to tumble further. Gold jewellery prices in Dubai continued to fall on Monday, with some pieces offering up to Dh10 per gram in savings when compared to peak prices in June. The price of 24K gold further tumbled to Dh146.50 per gram as of 2:17pm in Dubai, down by Dh2 per gram from last week and Dh10 per gram from one of its highest levels last month. Last June 7, 24K…

YANDEX AND UBER COMBINE RIDESHARING BUSINESSES IN RUSSIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES Yandex and Uber announced last week an agreement to combine their ridesharing businesses in Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia into a new company (“NewCo”). Uber will also contribute its UberEATS business in the region to NewCo. In addition, Uber has agreed to invest $225MM and Yandex has agreed to invest $100MM into NewCo, valuing it at $3.725Bn on a post-money basis. After these investments, and subject to certain adjustments at closing, NewCo will be owned approximately 59.3% by Yandex, 36.6% by Uber, and 4.1% by employees of…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.72 6.22 2 – Week 5.74 6.24 1 – Month 5.77 6.27 3 – Month 5.88 6.13 6 – Month 5.89 6.14 9 – Month 5.93 6.43 1 – Year 5.96 6.46 2 – Year 6.04 6.54 3- Year 6.17 6.67

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding][tie_list type=”plus”] PAKISTAN – ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous MARKETS Currency 105 Jul/17 105 Stock Market 43825 points Jul/17 44121 Government Bond 10Y 8.93 % Jul/17 8.93 LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads1] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] [padding right=”15%” left=”15%”][/padding] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads2]

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s the leading 3PL logistics provider in the country with more than 700 employees across 8 locations countrywide, Agility Pakistan strongly believes in the potential of CPEC to emerge as a game changer in enhancing the economic potential of our nation. A mega project valued at approximately $46 billion, CPEC includes road and infrastructure projects that are about 3,000-km network of highways, railways and pipelines. This corridor will provide the shortest link to Indian and Arabian Ocean. Of critical importance in the CPEC plan is China’s Xinjiang province in Pakistan’s immediate neighborhood. Xinjiang is China’s top cotton growing area, producing…

PAKISTAN MARKET INDICATORS EXCHANGE RATES CURRENCY ACTIVITY Friday 26-May Friday 2-Jun Friday 9-Jun Friday 16-Jun Friday 23-Jun Friday 7-Jul DOLLAR Buying 106.2 106.25 106.05 106.05 106.15 106.5 Selling 106.5 106.55 106.35 106.35 106.45 106.8 POUND Buying 137.25 135.5 136.75 135 133.5 136.5 Selling 139 137.25 138.5 136.75 135.25 138.25 EURO Buying 118.5 118 118.75 118.5 117.75 120 Selling 119.7 119.2 119.95 119.7 118.95 121.2 CANADIAN $ Buying 78.75 79 78.5 79.7 79.5 81 Selling 79.6 79.85 79.35 80.55 80.35 81.85 JAP YEN Buying 0.92 0.92 0.94 0.94 0.92 0.91 Selling 0.95 0.95 0.97 0.97 0.95 0.94 HK $ Buying 13.35…

GBP/USD WEEKLY OVERVIEW Pound inched down to a six days low of $1.2918 after Britain construction sector data on Tuesday. In fact the pound was trading less than half a cent away from nine months high on the assumption that Bank of England can raise the interest rates in near future. Statistics showed that pound dipped around 14% against the dollar and 13% against the euro since Brexit issue arose. Due to overall uncertainty in UK, pound suffered heavy losses simultaneously inflation is well above Bank of England’s 2% target. TECHNICAL STUDY USING LUTFI MAGNET THEORY (GBP/USD) TIME S3 S2…

MARKET REVIEW The market pared some of the losses of the last week and returned 2% on the last week’s closing to close at 49,527 points. Market participation remained thin as ADT and ADTV both posted a decline of 19% and 53% respectively. Foreign investors were net buyers during the first four days of the week with net FIPI clocking in at USD6.5mn. Lack of foreign participation comes on the back of i) negative developments in the budget and ii) new headwinds on the currency front, especially in the wake of massive debt servicing, proved to be major dampeners for…

PSX REMAINS BEARISH ON POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, RUPEE FLUCTUATION SUMMARY The last week before finalization of JIT investigation report put political uncertainty to a great height along with the fluctuation of Pak Rupee in the market. The market during the week shed 1,343.14 points with the average volume declining to 166 volume vis-à-vis 235 million last week. The market capitalization stood at Rs9.279 trillion. Monday started with a blood bath on the trade floor as the KSE-100 crashed 1,899.88 points to close at 44,665.41 points . The down fall took around 327 billion in PSX market capitalization to stand at Rs9.195…

PAKISTAN: A FEW GOOGLE HOME OWNERS ALREADY HAVE BLUETOOTH ENABLED: At Google I/O 2017, the company proclaimed that it is working to let owners of Google Home use Bluetooth streaming. It will be available soon on Google Home, which lets a user stream any audio from other devices, not only those which are running a compatible app. YOUTUBE ON ANDRIOD TV PLAYS CATCH-UP WITH NEW DESIGN, AUTO-PLAY CONTROLS: Android TV can’t be able to get more fame at Google I/O, but it is still alive in the minds of people. Google has aimed to roll out a new update to…

UAE SCHOOL FEES ‘SECOND HIGHEST IN THE WORLD’: HSBC STUDY Dubai: Education in the UAE doesn’t come cheap. Parents in the country shell out nearly half a million dirhams in their lifetime just to ensure their child gets the full education they need. According to a study released by HSBC, sending a child to school in UAE, from primary to university, will cost about $99,378 (Dh365,025), the second highest in the world. The cost covers tuition fees, educational books, transport and accommodation. The figure comes second only after after Hong Kong, where parents fork out an average of $132,161 to…

PAK ORDERS SHELL SUBSIDIARY TO PAY $2.4 MN FOR BAHAWALPUR TANKER BLAST Pakistan’s oil and gas regulator on Friday ordered a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell to pay about Rs257 million in damages and compensation for a tanker explosion that killed more than 200 people last month. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has held Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL) responsible for the blast in Punjab province on June 25 after the tanker carrying gasoline for the company rolled over, and villagers rushed to collect leaking fuel. The road accident was caused by non-professional driving/vehicle being lesser than required specs,…

AIR INDIA LAUNCHES DELHI-WASHINGTON FLIGHT NEW DELHI: State-owned Air India on Thursday launched its first flight to Washington DC from New Delhi, thereby adding its fifth destination in the US. Air India has deployed its 238-seater Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft to cater to the new direct service to the US. The plane offers eight seats in first class, 35 in business and 195 in economy class. The launch took place at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in the presence of Charge de Affairs of US Embassy Marykay Loss Carlson, Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani, commercial director…

UBER CELEBRATES A MILESTONE OF 5 BILLION TRIPS MADE WORLDWIDE! Uber has much reason to celebrate – as it announces crossing the 5 billion worldwide trips mark on Saturday 20th May. To make this happen, 156 trips started simultaneously at 7:29:06am GMT, in 24 countries across six continents, in cities including Dubai, Moscow and the capital city of Pakistan – Islamabad. Uber started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get a ride at the push of a button? In late 2015, Uber made headlines for crossing the 1 billion trips mark. Six months later, the company…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is one of the best known lagging indicators. The consumer price index expresses the current prices of a basket of goods and services in terms of the prices during the same period in a previous year, to show effect of inflation on purchasing power. [ads2] INFLATION RATES MONTH ON MONTH BASIS (%) (BASE 2007 – 2008) Period CPI Core Inflation SPI** WPI General Food Non-food NFNE* Trimmed Jan 16 0.2 -0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 Feb 16 -0.3 -0.7 0.0 0.2 0.1 -0.5 -0.6 Mar 16 0.2 0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.2 -0.2 -0.4 Apr 16 1.6 2.4…

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he balance of trade compares the value of a country’s exports of goods and services against its imports. When exports are greater than imports, that’s a trade surplus. Most nations view that as a favorable trade balance. A country that imports more goods and services than it exports has a trade deficit. [ads2] BALANCE OF TRADE (Million US $) PERIOD EXPORTS (VALUE) IMPORTS (VALUE) BALANCE OF TRADE Jul-16 P 1,495 3,093 -1,598 Aug-16 P 1,840 3,807 -1,967 Sep-16 P 1,672 3,209 -1,537 Oct-16 P 1,826 3,340 -1,514 Nov-16 P 1,841 3,785 -1,944 Dec-16 P 1,860 4,109 -2,249 Jan-17 R 1,770…

[dropcap]K[/dropcap]ibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency  and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads2] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 5.72 6.22 2 – Week 5.74 6.24 1 – Month 5.77 6.27 3 – Month 5.88 6.13 6 – Month 5.89 6.14 9 – Month 5.93 6.43 1 – Year 5.96 6.46 2 – Year 6.04 6.54 3- Year 6.17 6.67

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. Economic indicators include various indices, earnings reports, and economic summaries. [ads1] PAKISTAN – ECONOMIC INDICATORS Overview Last Reference Previous LABOUR Unemployment Rate 5.9 % Dec/15 6 Employed Persons 57420 Thousand Dec/15 56520 Unemployed Persons 3620 Thousand Dec/15 3580 Population 194 Million Dec/16 190 Living Wage Family 30448 PKR/Month Dec/16 30326 Living Wage Individual 16967 PKR/Month Dec/16 16909 Wages High Skilled 43600 PKR/Month Jun/16 51100 MONEY Interest Rate 5.75 % Jun/17 5.75 Interbank Rate 6.01 % Apr/17 5.99…

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emographic is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex, among others. Governments, corporations and non-government organizations use demographics to learn more about a population’s characteristics for many purposes, including policy development and economic market research. [ads2] DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF PAKISTAN DETAILS 2015 2016 Total Population (Million) 191.71 195.4 Urban Population (Million) 75.19 77.93 Rural Population (Million) 116.52 117.48 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 3.2 3.1 Crude Birth Rate (Per thousand) 26.1 25.6 Crude Death Rate (Per thousand) 6.80 6.70 Population Growth Rate (Percent) 1.92 1.89 LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEAR) – Female 67.3 67.7 -…

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]nflation is a sustained increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy. When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money. [ads2] INFLATION IN PAKISTAN (Base 2007-08) INDEX AVERAGE JULY – APRIL % CHANGES 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 CPI 4.09 2.79 4.81 SPI 1.51 1.44 1.86 WPI 4.00 -1.30 0.03

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n interest rate is the cost of borrowing money, or conversely, the income earned from lending money. Interest rates are expressed as percentage of the principal per period. “Reduced interest rates encourage people to spend money on home improvements” [ads1] INTEREST RATES DATE (%) 26-Jan-15 8.5 24-Mar-15 8.0 25-May-15 6.5 14-Sep-15 6 23-May-16 till date 5.75

PAKISTAN MARKET INDICATORS EXCHANGE RATES CURRENCY ACTIVITY Friday 19-May Friday 26-May Friday 2-Jun Friday 9-Jun Friday 16-Jun Friday 23-Jun DOLLAR Buying 105.95 106.2 106.25 106.05 106.05 106.15 Selling 106.25 106.5 106.55 106.35 106.35 106.45 POUND Buying 136.5 137.25 135.5 136.75 135 133.5 Selling 138.25 139 137.25 138.5 136.75 135.25 EURO Buying 117.25 118.5 118 118.75 118.5 117.75 Selling 118.45 119.7 119.2 119.95 119.7 118.95 CANADIAN $ Buying 78 78.75 79 78.5 79.7 79.5 Selling 78.85 79.6 79.85 79.35 80.55 80.35 JAP YEN Buying 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.94 0.94 0.92 Selling 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.97 0.97 0.95 HK $ Buying 13.35…