Oil prices surged four per cent today after US and UK forces launched strikes against Houthi rebels following their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, fuelling worries about a wider conflict in the crude-rich region.

Wall Street opened higher as earnings season got underway in earnest with a slew of banks reporting results and wholesale inflation unexpectedly dipping in December.

JPMorgan Chase’s profits dropped in the fourth quarter to $9.3 billion, but that was due to a one-off special levy of $2.9bn by US regulators after the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

Opinion

Editorial

Removing subsidies
Updated 09 May, 2026

Removing subsidies

The government no longer has the budgetary space to continue carrying hundreds of billions of rupees in untargeted subsidies while the power sector itself remains trapped in circular debt, inefficiencies, theft and under-recovery.
Scarred at home
09 May, 2026

Scarred at home

WHEN homes turn violent towards children, the psychosocial damage is lifelong. In Pakistan, parental violence is...
Zionist zealotry
09 May, 2026

Zionist zealotry

BOTH the Israeli military and far-right citizens of the Zionist state have been involved in appalling hate crimes...
Shifting climate tone
Updated 08 May, 2026

Shifting climate tone

Our financial system is geared towards short-term, risk-averse lending, while climate adaptation and green infrastructure require patient, long-term capital.
Honour and impunity
08 May, 2026

Honour and impunity

THE Sindh Assembly’s discussion on karo-kari this week reminds us of the enduring nature of ‘honour’ killings...
No real change
08 May, 2026

No real change

THE Indian sports ministry’s move to allow Pakistani players and teams to participate in multilateral events ...