March, 21 2005	Monday	10 Safar 1426

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Consumer interest takes a back seat LEW Veraldi, the father of the Ford Taurus, was once quoted as saying of the car trade: “This is an emotional business. If you’re not emotional, there’s something wrong with you.”...		Improving energy efficiency THE National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has advised the power producers to avoid opting for costly fuel for power production. That advice follows the rising world price of oil and...
Women excel in business VARIOUS characteristics needed for success of a person doing business are initiative, motivation, and one’s capability to take timely and accurate decisions. These attributes stem from instinct of creativity. Women are...		Tackling perennial issues in next Five-Year Plan OVER Rs2 trillion were announced for the next Five-Year Plan (FYP)(2005-10) by the prime minister at the National Economic Council meeting held early this month. While the expected goal remains as...
Towards a multiple currency system SINCE the World War II, global monetary affairs have been dominated by the dollar, which is held internationally and the US benefits from its seignorage gains (gains made by governments from...		Cement sector: is targeted expansion viable? CEMENT industry is currently implementing an ambitious plan to expand its installed production capacity by about 60 per cent, with an investment of over one billion dollars, to be completed within...
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‘Gur’ production up in NWFP SUGAR cane remains an important cash crop in NWFP after tobacco. Although most of the crop is used for making refined sugar in the mills, still quite a sizeable output is...		Wheat policy overlooks ground realities THE Sindh cabinet’s decision on wheat procurement this year seems more to please public opinion. As in the past, the ground reality and market dynamics have been overlooked. Last year, the...
Speculative real estate trading in Gwadar port city AFTER the completion of its first phase, Gwadar port is the focus of speculative trade in real estate as brokers are engaged in sale and purchase of property that does not...		Absence of a maritime research complex retards progress PAKISTAN is a maritime country blessed with about 900 km long coastline enriched with an enormous potential for growth. Unfortunately these resources have not be been fully exploited, the main reason...
Measuring value at risk in banking FINANCIAL institutions, especially banks, are essentially in the business of risk taking. Whether they are lending to a client, issuing bonds in the capital market or taking position in foreign currency,...		Saline agriculture and reclamation approach ABUT 2.67 million hectares in Punjab is under salinity/sodicity menace at varying degrees. The problem is on the rise due to prolonged drought and diminishing canal supplies. Fresh water supplies are...
The outcome of reforms in banking sector THE process of reforms in the banking sector commenced in 1997 with the appointment of professional management in the nationalized commercial banks. The present economic managers took the process forward since...		Political shadows over trade with India PAKISTAN and India have tremendous potential for a bilateral trade. However, trade and economics between the two countries have become victim of politics. Owing to this, the two-way trade does not...
Booming South Asian insurance market THE global insurance market expanded by just two per cent in 2003. The South Asian market, by contrast, was far more buoyant with growth of 17.6 per cent during the same...		Risks in consumer borrowing PAKISTAN has seen a consumer financing boom in the last three years and one would like to see this sector grow on sound footings. But without the cost benefit analysis and...
STOCK EXCHANGE: Index crosses 10,509 barrier to finish at 9,499 points AFTER confidently breaching through the psychological barrier of 10,000 to hit the all-time career-best level of 10,509.13 points, the Karachi Stock Exchange’s 100-share index finally gave into the mounting selling pressure...		RUPEE REPORT: Rupee picks up against dollar IN the local currency market, the rupee/dollar parity has remained range-bound since past few weeks. This week, the dollar supply remained sufficient. The inter-bank market witnessed a steadier trend on the...
MONEY MARKET: Weighted average on 3-month T-bills rise by 24 basis points IN open market operations (OMO) held on March 17, the State Bank of Pakistan mopped up Rs9.5 billion through one-week treasury bills. Earlier on March 16, the central bank sold T-bills...		COMMODITIES: Local stockists setting commodity prices AFTER rising to new peaks during the last couple of weeks, prices of some essential items started weakening on the reports of improvement in ready supplies. However, the decline in wheat...