Oil Drops 5% as Middle East Tensions Ease

russia-oil

HOUSTON: Oil prices plummeted by nearly 5% on Monday after Israel’s recent military action against Iran over the weekend spared oil and nuclear sites, maintaining energy supply stability. By 11:37 a.m. CDT (1637 GMT), Brent crude futures dropped $4.20, or 5.52%, to $71.83 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid $4.08, or 5.68%, to $67.70—a low unseen since early October. Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group, remarked, “This is a classic example of a headline-driven market. Geopolitical risks remain significant.” Despite last week’s 4% rally,…

Read More

Foreign Service Personnel Briefed on Economy at FPCCI

New-FPCCI

Foreign Service Personnel Briefed on Economy at FPCCI October 28, 2024 Karachi: Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has apprised that the apex body has briefed the group of personnel from Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP) at its Head Office in Karachi – with the aim to orient them on macroeconomic issues & challenges; export promotion requirements of the business community; trade diplomacy and branding of a country’s export offerings on an international scale. Atif Ikram Sheikh elaborated that the FSP delegation was told that IT & IT-enabled Services; value-added agricultural…

Read More

IPPs Seek PM’s Urgent Intervention Over Proposed Contract Termination

Power-IPPS

ISLAMABAD: Ten Independent Power Producers (IPPs) operating under the 2002 Generation Policy have requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s intervention over the government’s plan to terminate existing “Take or Pay” contracts in favor of a “Take and Pay” framework. This shift could lead to severe financial instability for the power producers, sources revealed. In a joint letter to the Prime Minister, the IPPs—comprising Pakgen Power, Nishat Power, Nishat Chunian, Sapphire, Hubco Narowal, Kohinoor Energy, Liberty FSD, Halmore, Laraib, and Orient Power—voiced concerns that scapegoating capacity payments as the primary driver behind…

Read More

SNGPL’s Decision to Reinitiate Arbitration Raises Concerns for NPPMCL

New-SNGPL

ISLAMABAD: National Power Parks Management Company (NPPMCL), the operator of two RLNG-based power plants in Punjab, has expressed serious concerns over Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company Limited‘s (SNGPL) recent move to resume international arbitration on a previously resolved claim of Rs 15.5 billion, according to well-informed sources. The dispute traces back to 2018 when SNGPL drew Rs 10.38 billion from NPPMCL’s gas supply deposits under the Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) for the Balloki and Haveli Bahadur Shah power plants, claiming losses. The matter was referred to the London Court of…

Read More

‘Pakistan Seeks Additional $1.4 Billion Loan from China Amid Ongoing Financial Challenges

Aurangzeb-ipps

ISLAMABAD: In response to persistent external financing pressures, Pakistan has formally requested a 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) loan from China, following an extension of the existing $4.3 billion facility for three more years. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb made the request during a meeting with China’s Vice Minister of Finance, Liao Min, proposing to increase the Currency Swap Agreement (CSA) limit to 40 billion yuan. Currently, Pakistan has fully utilized the 30 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) trade facility under the China-Pakistan CSA to meet debt repayment needs and stabilize reserves.…

Read More