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| August 11, 2008 | Monday | Sha’aban 8, 1429 |
Financial services: monitoring options
 In the 1990s, the Asian Development Bank had suggested a change in the supervisory set-up of the financial services sector, and to implement it, ADB had provided funding support....
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The lure of Dubai’s property boom
 Many investors with surplus money, whether in business, private or government service or professionals, have either already bought or are planning to buy property in Dubai....
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Energy security and foreign reliance
 When President Bush and President Musharraf launch-ed the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in March 2006, they agreed to undertake strategic steps in many areas including energy, economic growth and social sector development....
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Tackling cartels in fertiliser trade
 FERTILISER usage is declining taking farming gradually down with it and exposing the country to severe food insecurity. The trend continues unabated....
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Manufacturing small tractors and level playing field
 The budget 2008-09 has been termed incentive oriented for development of agriculture. It has provided Rs20.30 billion for food, agriculture and livestock projects and fixed the farm credit target at Rs200 billion....
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Cotton ginners strike and tardy official response
 THE cotton ginners have switched off their plants threatening textile exports which contribute around 68 per cent of the total export of merchandise....
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Mangoes: shelf-life and export by sea
 To compete in the high margin markets, one needs high quality products at a competitive price. One way to do it is to reduce the cost of transportation which can be...
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Cost squeeze in rural sector
THE cost price squeeze in agriculture has come to stay basically because the discrepancy and the inequity in the system are not addressed....
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Return to the begging bowl
 Since the restoration of the democratic government, and all the economic indicators, except inflation heading south from the beginning of 2008, a question on everybody’s mind is: does this major milestone...
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NWFP’s focus on infrastructure
 THE NWFP government has doubled the size of its investment for improving the industrial infrastructure this year amid worsening law and order situation and poor energy supply....
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KSE demutualization
 At a time when the country is faced with political uncertainty, serious economic challenges and a falling stock market, demutualisation of the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) is probably the least priority item....
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Amending labour laws
The federal cabinet decided in Karachi on July 2 that the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002 (IRO), would be annulled and a bill tabled in the National Assembly soon to introduce the Industrial Relations Act, 2008 (IRA)....
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World economies
AfghanistanThe Afghan economic performance in FY 2007 was broadly satisfactory. All September 2007 quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets...
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Stagnating auto sales
 SOARING fuel prices and a sharp escalation in interest rates is hurting India’s automobiles industry. Leading auto makers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai India and Tata Motors have reported declining – or stagnating sales – for their popular models in July....
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Battle against cartels
 THE battle between ‘cartels’ and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is expected to enter into a decisive phase when the Supreme Court takes up on August 12 the first case against the banks....
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Global airline industry in a flux
 The global airline industry has been hit mainly by the spiralling cost of fuel. Nearly 20 airlines have closed down while some others are considering mergers and cutting down their routes and services....
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How to expand trade with neighbours
 During eight years of President Pervez Musharraf’s rule, Pakistan did not develop a trade policy suited to its circumstances. If some initiatives were taken by the Ministry of Commerce – there...
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Distress sale of US firms
 The United States is witnessing a rush among foreign companies for purchase of US firms, assets, shares in a manner that it gives some Americans an uneasy feeling as if their country was being sold out from under them....
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Upgrading business education
 As emerging economies expand their activities in production, distribution and exchange and get more integrated with the international trading and financial system the internal management structure and processes of business organisations become more complex and demanding....
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Returns for small investors
Unnerved by the steep rise in property values in Karachi, Abdul Razzak, 57, a middle cadre bank employee, desperate to own a flat before he retires, took out his retirement fund...
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Mortgage crisis
 Inflation on the high street soared in July to reach its highest in more than 18 months, with food nearly 10 per cent more expensive than a year ago, according to a survey conducted by the British Retail Consortium (BRC)....
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Support fund helps stocks recoup initial losses
 A STRONG weekend rally enabled the share market to recoup some of its initial losses but the underlying sentiment remained unsettled as despite fund buying on selected counters at attractive levels,...
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Exchange rate under pressure
 Political instability in the country, soaring prices of essential items and growing unrest among people has adversely affected domestic and foreign investment....
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Decline in gross bank advances
 On August 7, the State Bank of Pakistan sold Rs8.3 billion of Treasury bills under two-day repo contracts at 9.90 per cent to mop up funds from the money market....
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Rice prices fall on bumper crop
 TRADING activity on the Karachi wholesale commodity markets last week was relatively slow as consumers did not make panic buying on any of the essentials’ counters hoping a fall in prices....
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