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| September 15, 2008 | Monday | Ramazan 14, 1429 |
Outlook for kharif crops
 Water scarcity, frequent power outages, short supply of fertiliser and a lingering dispute between millers and cane growers on pricing have hit the kharif crops this year, and initial production estimates of cotton are confusing....
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Risks in mergers, mega banks
 THE Basle Accord-II provides a formula for determining the adequacy of bank capital by relating it to risk-weighted value of a bank’s assets....
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Capital inflows and structural reforms
 A couple of years back, the World Bank Group hailed Pakistan in its annual report — Doing Business in 2006 — as “the top reformer in the (South Asian) region and the number 10 reformer globally”....
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Economics of organic fertiliser
 WHILE using fertiliser what is the best option for the farmer from an economic point of view? Social scientists in the system have studied the question and come up with optimisation proposals for the next wheat crop in the Rabi season....
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Wheat: how to achieve the dream target?
 IN his maiden press conference, newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari pledged to increase food supply and tackle the price spiral “through massive production.”...
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Impurities in Thar ground water
THAR in Sindh is experiencing an endemic fluorosis. A research carried out by PCSIR scientists shows that 78.77 per cent of the groundwater samples had fluoride values exceeding the limit of 1.5...
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Unconstrained agricultural marketing
 A good part of the country’s economic future depends on its ability to work its well endowed agricultural sector towards achieving its potential....
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Environmental debt swap: a concept with a future
 A debt-for-environment swap involves the cancellation of external debt in exchange for local currency funding for conservation of nature and environmental protection in the borrower- country....
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Decline in bank profits
 In the last few years, the banking sector had earned handsome profits, despite the fact that the interest rates — the major source of their income — had fallen to their record lows....
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Airconditioning load and power deficit
The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were hit by a severe thunder and hail storm on September 5, bringing down the temperatures....
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Measuring change in poverty
The most frequent questions asked include, who are the poor? How many poor are there? Where do they live and what is their social and economic profile?...
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World commodities
Oil...In the London market, oil prices had slumped close to $101 a barrel on September 9, their lowest since the start of April. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in October had....
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Surge in private equity investments
 WITH Indian stock market indices having shed nearly 30 per cent since the beginning of the year, many listed companies appear attractive for buyers seeking to expand their stake in these firms....
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Eying ‘Friedmanite theory within a larger spectrum’
 The economist Milton Friedman continues to divide opinion from the grave....
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Stabilising the rupee
 The rupee has fallen sharply against the dollar with the decline in the foreign exchange reserves, widening fiscal and current account deficits and surging inflation....
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Improving corporate governance
 It is often believed that the only way to get good behaviour from citizens, corporates and individuals, is to pass a law....
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Recession now a full-blown reality
 For the first time in two decades, Britain finds itself in the grip of recession and its overall growth trails Germany, Spain and Nether-lands while at the same time edging out France and Germany....
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Business amid rising power costs
 OF late, the commercial and industrial sectors have been uneasy over their cost of production as a result of ‘oil-flation’....
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Capitalising on Chinese friendship
 The economy is passing through a most difficult phase in recent history. It is not just high inflation or rising twin deficits, one set of bad news is feeding into the next and the crisis has assumed serious proportions....
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Sovereign funds to accept a code of ‘good practices’
 At last, the West has persuaded the 26 governments, which own sovereign wealth funds, to abide by a voluntary code of practices and principles brokered by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ‘demystify’ their investment operations....
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Fata situation Hinders stock recovery
 THE stocks remained unsettled throughout the week as positive news, notably swearing in of Asif Ali Zardari as President of Pakistan, and announcements of the National Bank and the Oil and...
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Rupee still under pressure
 Rising import bill and lack of funds inflow continues to exert downward pressure on the rupee. Strong measures are needed on the political and economic front to restore confidence of the investors and business community....
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Specialised banks’ assets up
 On September 10, the State Bank of Pakistan Bank of Pakistan sold Rs14.76 billion of 3 month paper. The SBP rejected all bids for 6 month paper and received no bids for 12 month paper....
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Prices of Basmati decline, wheat attain peak level
 A STEEP decline in prices of some varieties of Basmati highlighted the trading on the Karachi wholesale commodity markets last week followed by active selling by local stockists amid market talks of steady arrivals of new crop from upcountry trading centres....
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