Author: Admin

ISLAMABAD: Ill-planned surplus generation capacity, low plant utilisation, high fixed costs and inefficient dispatch have become a structural cause of elevated consumer-end electricity tariffs in Pakistan, according to the Annual Report on the Performance of Power Plants FY2024-25 released by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). The regulator noted that the sector’s high fixed costs, combined with underutilised generation assets and inefficient dispatch practices, have resulted in higher electricity prices and growing financial stress on both the power system and the federal budget. The report stressed that expanding generation…

Global financial markets plunged on Tuesday as the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran triggered a sharp surge in energy prices, reigniting inflation fears and dampening expectations of interest rate cuts. Brent North Sea crude, the international oil benchmark, jumped nearly nine percent to cross $85 per barrel for the first time since July 2024. European natural gas prices also surged for a second consecutive day, reflecting mounting concerns over disrupted Middle Eastern energy exports. The conflict has severely impacted regional energy flows, particularly through the Strait…

Karachi: The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has begun to take a heavy toll on the global aviation sector, with airlines across the Middle East and South Asia reporting massive financial losses due to widespread airspace closures and operational disruptions. According to industry estimates, Arab airlines collectively suffered losses of nearly USD 1 billion on the first day of the conflict alone. Within three days, cumulative losses reportedly surged to approximately USD 50 billion. In addition, declining airline share prices wiped out an estimated USD 23…

Karachi: Mobilink Bank has entered into a five-year strategic partnership with the Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF), operating under the Government of Sindh, to expand structured financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Sindh’s key growth sectors. The collaboration aims to unlock up to PKR 1 billion in financing by combining Mobilink Bank’s lending expertise with SEDF’s markup subsidy support, significantly lowering the cost of capital for entrepreneurs and promoting sustainable economic activity throughout the province. Under the agreement, Mobilink Bank will offer short-, medium-, and long-term financing…