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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates on Wednesday in another divided vote, but signaled it will likely pause further reductions in borrowing costs as the US central bank looks for clearer signals about the direction of the job market and inflation that “remains somewhat elevated.” New projections issued after the Fed’s two-day meeting showed the median policymaker sees just one quarter-percentage-point cut in 2026, the same outlook as in September, with inflation expected to slow to around 2.4% by the end of next year even as economic growth accelerates to an…

ISLAMABAD: Despite the disruption caused by mid-year floods, Pakistan’s growth outlook for both fiscal year 2025 and 2026 has been upgraded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as indicated in its latest report released on Wednesday. The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) December 2025 noted that, despite the challenges posed by June floods, Pakistan’s economy grew 5.7% in the fourth quarter of FY25. The report also highlighted strong performance by the large-scale manufacturing sector in recent months. “Pakistan’s growth outlook for FY2025 has been revised upwards following a stronger-than-expected performance in…

LAHORE: A recent survey by Kaspersky in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region, titled “Cybersecurity in the workplace: Employee knowledge and behaviour”, found that just 41% of professionals in Pakistan received training on digital threats. The knowledge gap is significant, particularly as the majority of cybersecurity breaches are attributed to human error. The findings underline the need for IT departments to provide clear guidance and for organisations to implement structured, practical cybersecurity training that reaches employees at every level. Many cyberattacks today are deliberately designed to bypass digital…

KARACHI: With Pakistani manufacturers actively engaging at Automechanika Dubai 2025, experts stressed that the nation stands at a crucial crossroads: opportunity is expanding, but real progress will require structural reforms, improved export readiness and a coordinated, sector-wide strategy. Automechanika Dubai 2025, underway from December 9-11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, is witnessing one of its most dynamic editions to date, drawing more than 2,300 exhibitors from over 60 countries. Global manufacturers, technology developers, EV innovators and after-market suppliers have converged to showcase next-generation automotive solutions, with Pakistan marking a…

ISLAMABAD: After 16 years of neglect and remaining at the mercy of agents, over 10 million of Pakistan’s poorest women have for the first time become account holders and will soon start receiving monthly cash stipends under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) without standing in queues. The BISP beneficiaries, who were captured clients of commercial banks, did not have bank accounts till recently and used to receive stipends through a limited liability account. The banks were not willing to treat the poorest women at par with other clients despite…