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The global Islamic finance industry, valued at over $5 trillion, is expected to reach $7.5tr by 2028 and has established itself as a viable alternative to conventional finance. According to the latest London Stock Exchange Group report, there are over 1,980 financial institutions offering Islamic financial services, and 57 countries have at least one regulation or law to support Islamic finance. Sukuk, often dubbed the “crown jewel” of Islamic capital markets with a market value north of $900 billion, are Shariah-compliant alternatives to conventional bonds that do not represent a loan but often represent an ownership share in an asset…

Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has reassured all provinces that they will receive their fair share of resources and that no province will be deprived of its rights by another. He was addressing a joint press conference with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah after attending the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ workshop at the Chief Minister House Karachi on Feb 24. Apparently referring to Mr Shah’s concerns over water shortages in Sindh amidst reports of the Cholistan Canal’s approval, Mr Iqbal added that there was no water available in the system to support new canals. Undeterred,…

Pakistan’s obsession with real estate is a strange paradox: almost every single household has lost money in some sort of fraud, and yet, it continues to be the preferred avenue of investment for the majority. From middle-class professionals to business tycoons, pretty much everyone has parked their funds in plots or property in general. According to the national accounts, real estate activities have a gross domestic product of Rs2.32 trillion in constant prices, or roughly 5.8 per cent of the entire economy. However, these are just the official statistics and do not capture the activity taking place informally, where, unfortunately,…

The surge in activity isn’t limited to roads, where unusually long traffic jams in Pakistan signal pre-Ramazan preparations. Shoppers crowd neighbourhood stores and departmental outlets while online platforms struggle to keep up with soaring orders. After all, Ramazan is the busiest month for markets, with household spending rising over 40 per cent above routine levels across all social classes. Ramazan’s impact extends beyond individuals and their personal lives. In Pakistan, as in other Muslim-majority countries, markets — and arguably the entire economy — undergo adjustments during the holy month. Changes in working hours, government policies tailored for Ramazan, and, most…

Poverty is like a chronic disease and a perpetual challenge for humanity. Since 2012, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has worked relentlessly towards this end under the leadership of its General Secretary Xi Jinping. These efforts have enabled one-fifth of the world’s population to successfully implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the poverty reduction target in 2021, almost a decade ahead of the cut-off point. How China pulled it off can be instructive for other countries, including Pakistan. To begin with, it couldn’t have been possible without the commitment of China’s leadership to this…

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the provision of sugar and other essential items to people at low rates is the top priority of his government. Presiding over a meeting in Lahore on the supply of sugar and price control in the country on Sunday, the premier recalled that the government in previous months had taken strict action against sugar smuggling, which bore fruitful results. He directed the authorities concerned to take solid steps to control the price of the commodity besides taking stern action against elements found involved in its hoarding. PM Shehbaz issued directive for the…

• Nine-member Fund mission begins first biannual review of $7bn Extended Fund Facility• Govt hopes for successful completion of talks, release of $1.1bn tranche within three weeks• Insists revenue shortfall offset by higher primary budget surplus, better non-tax revenue receipts ISLAMABAD: As a nine-member mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) begins its first biannual review of Pakistan’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), signed in September last year, the government remains optimistic about a successful conclusion to the talks, which would unlock a $1.1bn tranche over the following three weeks. The IMF delegation, led by Nathan Porter, will hold…

China’s top policymakers will gather in Beijing this week for the annual “two sessions”, the country’s biggest political event, where the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will set the stage for Beijing’s 2025 policy playbook.Faced with sluggish domestic demand, deflationary pressures, a prolonged property sector downturn and heightened US-China trade tensions, Beijing is expected to outline its major economic targets and policy priorities to help the country navigate mounting challenges.Here’s what to watch: from gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation targets to fiscal stimulus plans, and how Beijing aims to tackle domestic consumption,…

We struggle not to interject politics into our stock selection because we know it rarely, if ever, produces ideas that work. I know it makes the job a lot harder. But you don’t pay me to feel badly about what’s happening. That’s not worth much, even as I do feel sad about the recent turn of events. Nor can I write, “How dare you ask me for stock help when President Donald Trump is berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Haven’t you more important things to think about?” The nature of the Investing Club is the pursuit of financial well-being. The…

Welcome to Your Week in Asia.China holds its most important political meetings of the year in Beijing this week, Barcelona hosts the telecom industry’s biggest annual event and Singapore plays host to an aviation forum.In Hong Kong, Chinese bubble tea giant Mixue Group goes public, South Korea launches a new trading exchange while the Japanese and U.K. economy ministers are expected to meet in Tokyo.Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on X, @NikkeiAsia.MONDAYBubble tea IPOChina’s biggest bubble tea chain Mixue Group debuts on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after a share sale…