Buying & Selling

Gold prices held near a seven-week high on Friday, buoyed by expectations of additional US Federal Reserve rate cuts next year, while silver traded just below its recent record peak. Spot gold dipped slightly to $4,275.44 per ounce but eyed a 1.8% weekly gain, with silver up 0.4% at $63.84 after hitting $64.31 the prior day.The Fed's third 25-basis-point cut of the year, delivered in a split decision, appeared less hawkish, signaling future easing depends on cooling inflation and labor data. A weakening dollar and rising US jobless claims further supported non-yielding metals, with silver's rally fueled by industrial demand and tight supplies.Platinum rose 0.2% to $1,698.45 per ounce, and palladium gained 1.9% to $1,512, both on track for weekly advances. Analysts see silver potentially targeting $75 on technical breakouts

FBR has updated property valuation rates in Islamabad across 68 areas, raising taxes in premium sectors like E-7 and F-7 while adjusting others downward.Superstructures up to five years old are now valued at Rs 4,000 per square foot, older ones at Rs 3,000; residential plots in E-7 reach Rs 600,000 per square yard, with farmhouses in Gulberg Green at Rs 17.55 million per kanal and commercial spots in E-7/F-7 up to Rs 2.5 million. These immediate revisions aim to align with market rates, boosting transparency and impacting capital gains taxes.High-end zones like DHA, Bahria Enclave, and F-6/F-8 see sharp hikes, while rural valuations follow District Collector rates, streamlining real estate transactions citywide

Pakistan has become one of the top countries for crypto adoption, with small investors holding an estimated tens of billions of dollars in digital assets and much trading happening on unregulated peer‑to‑peer platforms without KYC checks. This raises serious concerns about money moving outside the formal system, potential money laundering and terror financing risks, and renewed scrutiny from global watchdogs, while Pakistan’s newly formed crypto regulators are still in the early stages of issuing detailed rules and licensing service providers.

Bitcoin (BTC) dropped below the critical $90,000 level for the first time in seven months, signaling a major risk retreat across global financial markets. The fall wiped out all of the cryptocurrency's gains for the year and resulted in an estimated $1.2 trillion being lost from the total crypto market value in six weeks. This cascading selloff is driven by macro uncertainties (like US interest rate doubts) and a rapid erosion of investor confidence, which now leaves leveraged speculators and corporate crypto holders dangerously exposed.

The stablecoin venture Zar's recent $12.9 million seed funding has intensified the need for immediate, clear regulation in Pakistan to balance financial innovation with national interest. While Zar aims to attract remittances, experts warn that widespread stablecoin adoption risks challenging the Rupee's stability and disintermediating the regulated banking system. Policy recommendations center on implementing bespoke oversight including licensing, daily reserve reporting, and asset segregation under the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), rather than outright prohibition. Crucially, on/off-ramps for these digital currencies should settle locally in PKR to mitigate dollarisation risk, and the SBP must also enable banks to compete on-chain (e.g., through tokenized deposits) to protect the process of financial intermediation itself.

The government has launched ‘Mera Ghar – Mera Ashiana,’ a new housing scheme offering 20-year home loans with heavily subsidized, fixed rates. Loans up to Rs2 million are available at just 5% for the first 10 years, and loans up to Rs3.5 million at 8%. The program is open to all non-homeowners and covers houses up to five marla.

New data from the State Bank of Pakistan shows that individuals now hold almost 50% of the country’s total bank deposits. As of August 2025, total deposits reached Rs. 33.8 trillion, with 49.4% (over Rs. 16 trillion) belonging to ordinary citizens. This highlights the dominant role of households in Pakistan’s financial system, with the private business sector and government holding a much smaller share.

Pakistan is facing a dollar shortage, a problem worsened by the recent floods that have disrupted the foreign exchange market. The scarcity of dollars could jeopardize the rupee's recent winning streak, as banks and exchange outlets have been submerged. While the shortage is expected to be temporary, analysts warn it could strain the country's foreign exchange reserves and hinder imports. Despite a recent upgrade and rising remittances, a survey indicates that nearly half of market participants expect the rupee to weaken to 285-290 per dollar by year-end.

The Sindh government has agreed to a partnership with NADRA to launch an online property transfer system and improve land record management. The collaboration also includes plans to establish 13 new NADRA offices and mega centers across the province, with a focus on rural areas. This move is part of the government's push for modern, digital services for its citizens.