Finance

Introduction of the Contributory Pension Fund Scheme The federal government has launched a new Contributory Pension Fund Scheme aimed at all civil employees, including those paid from Defence Estimates, who are appointed on a regular basis starting from July 1, 2024. This significant policy shift is designed to enhance the financial security of federal employees in their retirement years. Applicability …

FBR Misses August Tax Collection Target by Rs102 Billion The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) fell short of its August 2024 tax collection target by Rs102 billion, despite taking advances from major cities. The FBR blamed import compression for the shortfall, increasing the likelihood of a mini-budget. The government had set a collection target of Rs898 billion for August, but …

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) exhibited positive momentum on Friday, driven by an improved economic outlook and investor interest in the government’s ongoing discussions regarding the privatisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The market also drew support from bullish global equity trends and the government’s commitment to reducing power tariffs. Market Performance and Trends Trading commenced with strong buying activity, and …

Pakistani Rupee Strengthens on Rising Forex Reserves and Moody’s Upgrade The Pakistani rupee showed signs of recovery on Friday, appreciating by Rs0.10 against the US dollar to close at Rs278.54 in the inter-bank market. This rebound follows a two-day decline, where the rupee had lost Rs0.32, reaching Rs278.64 against the dollar. The improvement in the rupee’s value has been attributed …

Tajir Dost Scheme: Only 277 Retailers Pay Taxes, Despite Over 63,000 Registrations The Tajir Dost Scheme, an initiative aimed at bringing more retailers into the formal tax net in Pakistan, has seen underwhelming participation despite a significant number of registrations. According to the latest data released by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), only 277 retailers have contributed a total …

Inflation Forecast and Economic Outlook August 2024 In a recent update, the government has projected a reduction in inflation to a range of 9.5-10.5% for August 2024. This forecast comes amidst positive trends in key economic indicators and efforts to stabilize the economy. The projection also suggests a further decline in inflation to 9-10% by September 2024, offering a cautiously …

Shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) traded positively on Friday, with the KSE-100 benchmark index climbing over 400 points in intraday trading before closing in the green. The index increased by 138.55 points, or 0.18%, to settle at 78,488.21 points, up from the previous close of 78,349.66. Market Drivers and Performance The initial surge in the market was attributed …

Overview of ECC Meeting On August 30, 2024, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, convened to discuss critical economic policies and projects. The meeting focused on revising home remittances incentive schemes and making decisions regarding major infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Revisions to Remittances …

FBR’s Tax Registration Drive: Progress and Challenges The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been conducting a tax registration drive for nearly five months across 42 cities, successfully bringing thousands of traders onto the tax roll. However, under the Tajir Dost Scheme (TDS), the average income tax collected from an individual trader remains low at just Rs2,432 per month. Tax …

Oil Prices Drop Amid Persistent Demand Concerns and Supply Risks in Libya On Wednesday, global oil prices fell by around 1%, primarily driven by ongoing concerns over weakened demand from China and the possibility of a broader economic slowdown. Despite these factors exerting downward pressure on prices, the losses were somewhat cushioned by significant supply risks emanating from the Middle …