Sunday , March 8 2026

Tag Archives: Finance MInistry

Pakistan posts broad-based recovery in H1 of FY26

By Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy delivered a stretch of rare macroeconomic calm in the first half of FY2026, with easing inflation, a revival in large-scale manufacturing, firmer foreign exchange buffers and a steady rupee combining to lift investor confidence and policy credibility. Official data for July–December show a stabilizing …

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S&P Global aligns closely with SBP on inflation & growth outlook

BeNewz Report ISLAMABAD: S&P Global Market Intelligence has unveiled its latest macroeconomic projections for Pakistan, painting an optimistic yet cautious picture of easing inflation, manageable current account deficits, and accelerating growth. Released this week, the forecasts largely mirror the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) recent guidance, signaling broad consensus among …

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Power sector circular debt climbs Rs75bn despite massive bailouts

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s power sector circular debt rose by Rs75 billion in the first half of FY26 (July-December 2025), reaching Rs1.689 trillion—a 4.65% increase despite government capital injections of Rs780 billion and Rs1.225 trillion in commercial borrowing at lower rates during FY25. At the end of June 2025, the …

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Weekly dip in SPI inflation as chicken & vegetable prices fall

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), a key weekly measure of inflation for essential commodities in Pakistan, declined by 0.48% for the week ended January 22, 2026, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). This marks a welcome relief for households amid …

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Weekly inflation edges up 0.12% as wheat flour prices surge

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported a modest weekly increase in short-term inflation, with the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) rising by 0.12% for the week ended January 8, 2026. This brings the SPI index to 334.35 points (base 2015-16=100), up from 333.96 points the previous week. …

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ECC approves TSGs for defence, digital transformation, education, & cultural initiatives

BeNewz Report ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has approved several Technical Supplementary Grants (TSGs) to bolster key sectors including defence capabilities, digital infrastructure, special education, public service delivery, revenue enforcement, and the creative industries.The meeting, …

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Trade deficit surges to $19.204 bn amid sharp export decline

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s merchandise trade deficit widened significantly to $3.705 billion in December 2025, marking a 23.8% increase from $2.993 billion in the same month the previous year, according to provisional data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The deterioration was driven primarily by a steep 20.4% …

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Weekly SPI drops 0.67%, says PBS

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has released the latest Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) data, showing a welcome decline of 0.67% for the week ended January 01, 2026, said an official data of PBS here on Friday.  The SPI, a key tool for monitoring short-term inflation, tracks …

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Jul-Dec tax shortfall swells to Rs 336bn

BeNewz Report ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has provisionally collected Rs 6,154 billion during the first six months (July-December) 2025-26 against the target of Rs 6,490 billion, reflecting a shortfall of Rs 336 billion. The shortfall in revenue collection during December 2025 may prompt the government to activate …

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Economy shows steady recovery in December 2025 update

Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy continued its positive momentum through the first half of FY2026, according to the latest Monthly Economic Update and Outlook released by the Finance Division’s Economic Adviser’s Wing. The report highlights broad-based improvements, with real GDP growing 3.71% in Q1 FY2026, driven by strong industrial expansion …

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