DAWN - Business; January 01, 2007

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January 01, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 10, 1427

Economy: challenges ahead THE year 2007 may turn out to be a challenging and difficult one for Pakistan after the above six per cent average economic growth during the past three years....		A year of incentives for industry? INDUSTRY leaders expect government to come out in next few weeks with a salvage package to stop industry from a collapse. ``It is imminent’’, the President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce...
Rent seekers may be sidelined UNLESS we are very unlucky, the year 2007 will be a better year for the hardworking and enterprising people. The rent seekers will be sidelined as productivity and competitiveness gain currency....		Rising onion prices Despite huge import of the commodity during these months, there has been no let-up in price of onion. The local markets are flooded with imported Chinese and Indian onion....

Hidden potential of cowpeas A system of agriculture without the use of a leguminous crop tends to lessen the productivity of the soil and makes necessary large outlays for nitrogenous fertilisers....		An agenda for working group on agriculture Keeping in view the emerging technologies boosting agricultural production, the Planning Commission of Pakistan has constituted a working group on Visioning and Forecasting of Agriculture Sector....

Diamer-Basha Dam project may be delayed AS the world observed Anti-Corruption Day on December 09, the business termed the recent World Bank blacklisting of Lahmeyer — one of the global engineering company, on the charges of corrupt practice — a landmark verdict....		Balochistan freezes uplift spending Balochistan’s interest repayments have exceeded Rs250 million per month taking the overdraft to highest ever at Rs16 billion. The provincial government has been forced to freeze its current expenditure and development programme almost at the last year’s level....

Improving water and sanitation services THE water and sanitation sector in Karachi is faced with a crisis-like situation. KW&SB, the main formal service delivery institution, lacks accountability, transparency and operational autonomy, legal ambiguities, a dysfunctional governance structure, technical inadequacy, tariff imbalances and financial bankruptcy....		World commodity report Oil: Oil prices fell on December 27, extending losses of more than a dollar the previous session, as mild weather in major consuming nations...

Tata’s bid to acquire Corus Steel THE last quarter of 2006 has indeed been the most exciting for India Inc, with leading business groups involved in multi-billion-dollar takeover bids. The Tatas, the country’s premier industrial group, made...		Filling up the govt coffers THE economic managers off and on claim that they have not filled up their pockets but instead filled up government coffers during their tenure of last over seven years....

Textile industry at crossroads THE aim of this article is to attain an understanding of the current competitive position of the textile industry of Pakistan in the international market and to initiate a debate on...		IMF takes a look at Britain’s globalising economy FOLLOWING the Article IV IMF consultation the Fund has sounded a warning that monetary tightening may well be needed to counter some of the pressures on the British economy expected especially from demand for pay rises....

Ever-rising food inflation THE world food prices are high and have been rising steadily. The commodity price index and the food index have risen globally by 19.3 per cent by 1.4...		Key issues for stock market IN 2006, key issues in stock market reform process pertained to office of chairman of stock exchanges, UIN system, new netting and margining methodology, free-float based KSE-30 index, CFS MK-II, cash...

Cautious optimism on the bourses THE KSE 100-share index managed to finish above the crucial level of 10,000 points despite a number of interruptions both technical and political and indications are that the bullish outlook will be carried to the new year trading....		Rupee displays firmness against dollar Divergent trend was seen in the local currency market when the trading resumed after a long weekend on account of Quaid-i-Azam day holiday on December 25, as the rupee moved both ways in relation to the dollar....

SBP sells T-Bills worth Rs29.5bn THE State Bank of Pakistan sold Treasury Bills worth Rs29.5 billion in the open market operation on December 27, for 3-day repo at eight per cent....		Trading slows down before Eid holidays Physical activity on the Karachi wholesale markets last week remained relatively slow as buyers and sellers did not go above immediate needs owing to approaching Eid holidays....