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| February 18, 2008 | Monday | Safar 10, 1429 |
Business without bankruptcy laws
 Thousands of small to big businesses fail worldwide every day. This is anything but unusual. Companies suffer losses, file for bankruptcies and their sponsors move on with their life....
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Real estate trusts in uncharted territory
 Can the real estate investment trusts (REITs) prosper in the existing real estate regime marred by under valuation of property and absence of proper accounting system?...
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Long wait for a new savings policy
 THE long-awaited approval has been given by the caretaker prime minister to convert the Central Directorate of the National Savings (CDNS) into Pakistan Savings Corporation with an enlarged policy mandate....
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Management of crops in frost
 SEVERE winter weather conditions can create many problems for crop plants jeopardising their health and even their lives. The frost can significantly damage different parts of the plants resulting in low agricultural productivity....
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Pollution of KB Feeder Canal
 CANALS, which used to be a dependable source of water supply, are now being subjected to massive degradation. First, it was the release of municipal wastewater into the canals which used to contaminate it....
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Coriander production and exports
 It is known as coriander in English and Dhania in Urdu. In the US, it is known as Cilantro – a word derived from the Spanish language.....
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Reducing edible oil imports
 EDIBLE oil is extracted from seeds of crops like rapeseed, mustard, groundnut, linseed, sunflower, soybean, sesame and canola grown in the country. However, a large quantity of edible oil is obtained from cotton seed....
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The economics of grain
 The US programme of using ethanol as automobile fuel is cited in the western press as the basic reason behind the abrupt rise in international wheat prices....
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Surging food inflation
 The surging food prices are as a major challenge for the country’s economic managers and the people have lost hope for any relief while officials continue to paint a rosy picture about the economy....
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Renewed efforts for energy conservation
The central government has come up again with guidelines of an energy conservation policy, almost similar to the one approved by the federal cabinet in November 2006....
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World commodities
In the London market, platinum prices have hit record highs as concern deepened over output losses in top producer South Africa due to power crisis....
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‘Santa Claus’ and fiscal discipline
 SPENDING taxpayer’s money recklessly is a habit that politicians around the world acquire on getting elected, and for which they do not need much training. In India, politicians of all shades...
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Grappling with transit trade
 The proximity with Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics (CARs). makes the NWFP a gateway to an emerging regional market. It has the potential to turn itself into a hub of...
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Engineering board’s future under cloud
Engineering Development Board (EDB) has been without a full-time chairman as well as a regular chief executive officer for the last one year....
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Index of economic freedom
 Pakistan’s economy is 56.8 percent free which makes it the 93rd freest economy in the world in 2008. According to Index of Economic Freedom, the country’s ranking has worsened over the last two years....
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The economic picture is still muddy
 The Bank of England on Wednesday predicted a sharp rise in inflation in the coming months, possibly to above three per cent, reducing the likelihood of an aggressive series of interest rate cuts....
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Financing export-oriented projects
 Conventional and Islamic banks will soon start long-term financing for export-oriented projects under a scheme initiated by the State Bank of Pakistan with an indicated amount of Rs8 billion being made available for utilisation up to June....
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Expensive electricity contracts
 Facing the worst power shortage, the policy makers hardly consider the prohibitive cost at which they are acquiring future electricity needs....
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Fear of sovereign wealth funds
 Although having arrived in time to rescue several sinking giant firms rocked by a mortgage crisis, the investments coming from China, Asia and the Middle East remain a source of suspicion...
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Higher payouts keep stock market bullish
 A FLURRY of higher dividend and bonus shares continued to inspire strong speculative support on the stock market still at attractively lower levels as investors were not inclined to miss the...
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Rupee loses 29 paisas against dollar
 Political uncertainty ahead of general election has depressed trading and business activities. Weak economic indicators, persistent high government borrowings and sharply deteriorating trade and payment deficits have lead to rising demand for dollars....
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Commercial banks’ deposits higher by Rs16.751 billion
 On February 13, the State Bank of Pakistan raised Rs14.878 billion for 3-month T-bills at 9.45 per cent, up from 9.09 per cent earlier, and Rs9.349...
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Buying slows on hopes of fall in prices
 PHYSICAL activity on the Karachi wholesale markets during the preceding week remained relatively slow as brokerage and commercial houses were not inclined to lower their asking prices....
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