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Chinese stocks are set to extend gains next year after rising for a second year on fading geopolitical risks, investors re-evaluating the technology sector and household savings finding their way into equities amid low interest rates.The CSI 300 Index of the biggest stocks traded on the mainland has risen 17 per cent this year, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index has advanced almost 30 per cent. The stellar gains have taken by surprise many global investment banks and asset-management firms, which had turned cautious on Chinese stocks earlier this year.“We expect the bull run to continue, but at a slower…

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV urged Vatican cardinals on Monday to put their ambitions of power and personal interests aside, as he followed in Pope Francis’ footsteps and used a Christmas greeting to gently criticize his closest collaborators.“Is it possible to be friends in the Roman Curia?” Leo asked the cardinals and bishops who make up the Curia, as the Holy See bureaucracy is known. “To have relationships of genuine fraternal friendship?”The fact that Leo asked the question suggests that the American pope knows well that the Curia remains a difficult and sometimes toxic workplace, one that Francis would…

Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited, one of Pakistan’s leading fertiliser manufacturers, announced on Monday that Globacore Minerals Limited, in which it holds a 32% equity stake, has entered into a joint venture agreement with Mari Minerals (Private) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mari Energies Limited. This was disclosed by the company in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) today. The notice read that under the joint venture agreement, Mari Minerals will transfer 49% of its working interest in mineral exploration licenses EL-322 and EL-323, located in District Chagai, Balochistan, to Globacore. The transfer is subject to the necessary…

SINGAPORE: Chicago soybeans edged higher on Monday, as the market took a breather after last week’s losses, which pushed prices to their weakest since late October on demand uncertainty from top importer China. Wheat gained more ground on bargain-buying, although ample global supplies are likely to keep a lid on prices. “Chinese buying has largely been driven by the trade agreement between US and China,” said one Singapore-based trader. “China’s demand for imported beans is limited as there are ample supplies in the domestic market.” The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) rose 0.3% to $10.62-3/4…

BANGKOK: Car production in Thailand in November rose 11.06% from a year earlier to reach 130,222 units, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Monday. The increase followed a year-on-year rise of 14.17% in October. Local sales in November rose 20.65% year-on-year, folloing an increase of almost 25% rise in the previous month. Thailand is Southeast Asia’s biggest auto production centre and an export base for some of the world’s top carmakers, including Toyota and Honda. “Seeing the figures makes me feel much more relieved,” said Surapong Paisitpatanapong from the Federation of Thai Industries’ auto club. “Over the 11 months,…

BF Biosciences Limited, a Pakistani pharmaceutical company, has announced a change at the top, with founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Akhter Khalid Waheed set to step down on December 31, 2025, and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Muhammad Farhan Rafique appointed as the company’s new chief executive, effective January 1, 2026. The pharmaceutical disclosed the development in its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday. According to the notice, Akhter Khalid Waheed, Founding Chairperson and CEO of BF Biosciences Limited, has decided to step down from her role, effective December 31, 2025. The Board of Directors, in its emergent…

BF Biosciences Limited, a Pakistani pharmaceutical company, has announced a change at the top, with founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Akhter Khalid Waheed set to step down on December 31, 2025, and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Muhammad Farhan Rafique appointed as the company’s new chief executive, effective January 1, 2026. The pharmaceutical disclosed the development in its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday. According to the notice, Akhter Khalid Waheed, Founding Chairperson and CEO of BF Biosciences Limited, has decided to step down from her role, effective December 31, 2025. The Board of Directors, in its emergent…

The Pakistani rupee strengthened against the US dollar, appreciating 0.09% during the opening minutes of trading in the inter-bank market on Monday. At 10am, the local currency was hovering at 280.00, a gain of Re0.25 against the greenback. During the previous week, the Pakistani rupee posted a marginal gain, appreciating by Re0.06 or 0.02% against the US dollar in the interbank market. The local unit closed at 280.25, compared to 280.31, which it had closed at the week earlier against the greenback, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Globally, the yen languished near a record low to the…

Selling pressure was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding nearly 300 points during the opening minutes of trading on Monday. At 9:35am, the benchmark index was hovering at 171,112.11, a decrease of 292.37 points or 0.17%. Selling was observed in key sectors, including cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation and refinery. Index-heavy stocks, including HUBCO, OGDC, PPL, PSO, SNGPL, SSGC, HBL, MCB, MEBL and NBP, traded in the red. During the previous week, Pakistan’s equity market extended its upward trajectory with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing at…

Shanghai Biren Technology has started bookbuilding for its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO), aiming to raise up to HK$4.85 billion (US$624 million), as Chinese chipmakers rush to list amid rising investor interest.Biren, the mainland’s first graphics processing unit (GPU) developer to go public in Hong Kong, will start trading on January 2 – becoming the first new listing of 2026. The firm was offering 247.7 million shares between HK$17 and HK$19.60 each, according to its exchange filing on Monday.It will join a broader wave of mainland technology names pursuing Hong Kong listings, including artificial intelligence start-up MiniMax, which cleared…