Buying & Selling

The Australian dollar hit a three-year high of $0.7050 on Thursday, driven by surging gold prices and bets on an RBA rate hike next week, while the NZ dollar reached a seven-month peak at $0.6070. Both eased slightly in Asian trade amid mixed US tech earnings. The US dollar stabilized after Fed comments and policy affirmations, but Antipodean currencies outperformed.

Pakistan plans a 2026 return to global bond markets with its first panda bond, Eurobonds, or sukuks after four years away. Finance Minister Aurangzeb, speaking at Davos, cited stabilized inflation, rates, fiscal health, and IMF-backed reforms like PIA privatization.

Pakistan's State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reserves rose by $13 million to $15.915 billion as of December 26, 2025, contributing to total liquid reserves of $21.012 billion despite a slight drop in commercial banks' holdings. This provides about 3.2 months of import cover amid ongoing debt pressures. The improvement marks a strong recovery from 2023 lows below $3 billion, aided by IMF support and bilateral aid, while domestic gold prices fell Rs2,400 per tola to Rs454,562.

Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 34.6% in the first half of FY26, reaching $19.2 billion. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports fell 8.7% to $15.18 billion, while imports rose 11.28% to $34.38 billion. In December alone, exports dropped 20% year-on-year, while imports increased 2%, underscoring ongoing strain on the country’s trade balance.

U.S. companies are increasingly turning to Pakistan as a potential supplier of antimony, a critical mineral used in defence and technology industries, according to the Financial Times. Rising concerns over China’s control of global mineral supply chains have led American firms to explore partnerships in Pakistan. Deals involving Himalayan Earth Exploration, Nova Minerals, and the Frontier Works Organisation signal growing U.S. investment interest in the sector. Although Pakistan holds a small share of global antimony reserves, experts see the trend as an opportunity to expand local mining capabilities and strengthen U.S.–Pakistan economic ties.

PIA’s privatisation moves ahead on December 23, with three bidders still competing after Fauji Fertiliser’s withdrawal. The bidders will submit and open bids the same day under a live-televised process, seeking a 75pc stake, while 25pc shares remain with the government. The winning bidder will pay in two tranches and assume key liabilities, with no layoffs allowed for one year and staff benefits protected.

Pakistan has signed an MoU with Binance to explore tokenising up to $2 billion worth of sovereign bonds, treasury bills and commodity-backed assets to improve liquidity and access to global investors. Pakistan’s new virtual-assets regulator has also granted initial clearances for Binance and HTX to set up local entities and begin the licensing process, as part of a wider digital-finance reform drive that includes a cr

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

Pakistan has begun its new kinno export season, already shipping about 6,000 tonnes to the Middle East, Sri Lanka and the Philippines since Dec 1. Exporters aim to send 300,000 tonnes this season, targeting around $110m in earnings, up from 250,000 tonnes worth $95m last year. Despite a bumper crop of 2.7m tonnes, exports remain about 50pc below levels five years ago due to limited research and reliance on older citrus varieties, though proposed government-backed plans could lift annual kinno export revenues to $400m within five years