Business
Why export revival hinges on digital trade | The Express Tribune
5G and Pakistan Single Window can unlock exports only if manual processes are eliminated end to end
KARACHI:
Pakistan is one of the least open economies in the world. Its lack of participation in international trading activities has resulted in volatility and economic instability, keeping the economy hostage to regular balance-of-payments crises and mounting debt-related challenges.
Exports of goods from Pakistan have consistently remained below 11% of GDP. This lack of exports stifles the inflow of much-needed dollars, creating pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Furthermore, policies involving exchange rate management and restrictions on the flow of dollars impede the ability of businesses to participate in international trading activities.
One of the challenges often highlighted by businesses seeking to increase their export footprint is the lack of digitalisation in international trading practices, particularly when it comes to fulfilling financial obligations and building business-to-business relationships necessary to expand exports. The digitalisation of procedures, processes and activities involving international trade will become even more crucial with the advent of 5G technologies in Pakistan, creating new frontiers of possibility for traders. With the spectrum auction likely to take place next month, it is imperative to ensure that international traders receive meaningful benefits from these new avenues.
One key development in the digitalisation of trade procedures and processes is the Pakistan Single Window (PSW). Pakistan’s score in the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation increased from 55.9% in 2021 to 74.2% in 2025, with the most significant improvement in the category of “paperless trade”. PSW has integrated more than 70 government agencies into a single platform, replacing the need for manual “no objection certificates” with digital data exchange.
Electronic import forms and the Electronic Form-E have been replaced by real-time data exchanges between participating banks and the PSW system, as information on traders, trading documents and financial instruments can now be shared electronically rather than manually. PSW also incorporates API-based digital handshakes that allow integration across borders and has improved transparency in international trading procedures and processes.
Although PSW has made significant strides in digitalising key customs procedures and bringing several government agencies dealing with internationalised firms onto its platform, there remains a growing need to ensure exporters have access to a fully digital environment that eliminates reliance on manual documentation.
It is imperative to enhance B2B cross-border payments, provide a comprehensive digital freight booking system, and develop financial platforms involving loans or factoring and stronger connectivity with fintech platforms to increase overall effectiveness. An enhanced digital marketplace, integrated with the single window and designed to connect traders with overseas partners, would allow exporters not only to sell products but also to establish buyer credibility, offering immense benefits to traders.
When digital activities break down due to the persistence of manual procedures that create delays and lags, they form a “digital island” in a sea of analogue processes. It is therefore essential to ensure that digitalisation genuinely benefits traders by eliminating all manual procedures that inhibit growth. The use of APIs that plug into digital platforms can accelerate digitalisation, expanding this island and ensuring international traders benefit from a wider array of services.
5G technologies will revolutionise industries by enhancing technological capabilities to improve manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies. They are designed to strengthen industrial control systems and enable industries to digitalise physical operations, reducing delays caused by manual processes. Enhanced broadband communication, reduced latency and higher connection density will enable the development of smart ports, smart cities, smart industries and smart agriculture. The benefits will extend across all sectors as they become digitally connected, with international trade standing to gain significantly.
The upcoming auction will include six frequency bands that can substantially improve port operations and cargo handling. Karachi Port and Port Qasim, for instance, can further reduce reliance on manual operations and human intervention. Automated cranes and remote inspections, enabled by advanced 5G capabilities, can eliminate delays for exporters and facilitate digital customs clearance with minimal human interaction. Improved mobile communications will also allow cargo and freight to be tracked more effectively, enabling traders to prepare in advance for arrivals, reducing time delays and costs.
Advanced ports around the world already deploy 5G technologies to improve efficiency and reduce congestion. Cranes in ports across China, Rotterdam and elsewhere are operated remotely with near-zero accidents. Data systems used in digitally operated ports can be integrated with single window platforms to provide real-time information to traders and government agencies. International best practices also include the standardisation of digital documents, as seen in Singapore, allowing interoperability across compliant global systems.
Gateway layers that respect data sovereignty, such as those used across Asean countries, enable cross-border sharing of trade documents. Networked trading platforms that allow private-sector applications to be hosted within government trade portals can further create a one-stop shop for international traders.
There are numerous examples of how digital trading platforms can evolve into game-changing networks for international traders, ensuring minimal costs and avoiding delays in documentation while providing real-time visibility over the movement of goods across borders and within domestic markets. If the government is to achieve its target of $60 billion in exports over the next four years, it is imperative that Pakistani exporters are fully empowered to take advantage of the opportunities offered by comprehensive digitalisation.
THE WRITER IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AND A RESEARCH FELLOW AT CBER, INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, KARACHI. HE ALSO CHAIRS THE ECONOMIC ADVISORY GROUP
Business
Top stocks to buy: Stock recommendations for the week starting January 19, 2026 – check list – The Times of India
Stock market recommendations: According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, the top stock picks for the week (starting January 19, 2026) are 360 One, and Canara HSBC Life. Let’s take a look:
360 One360 One WAM is a structural growth story given tailwinds from India’s expanding wealth pool, new team onboarding, and synergies from recent acquisitions which underpin long-term growth visibility. It delivered a strong 3QFY26, driven by robust inflows and operating leverage. Operating revenue grew 33% YoY, led by a sharp 45% YoY rise in ARR income, while disciplined cost control reduced the cost-to-income ratio by 320bp YoY to 49.6%, supporting healthy profit growth. PAT grew 20% YoY despite a sharp decline in other income. Growth was fueled by strong net ARR inflows of ₹147b, with record AMC inflows and sustained momentum in wealth management driven by wallet share gains and carry income-led retention improvement. Management remains confident of further CI ratio improvement toward 45–46% as ET Money and HNI businesses move toward breakeven. Management guides for 22–24% AUM growth, translating into 21%/22% revenue/PAT CAGR over FY25-28.Canara HSBC LifeCanara HSBC Life Insurance represents a compelling banca-led compounding story, underpinned by strong distribution moats and significant headroom for efficiency-driven growth. The insurer has consistently outperformed the industry over the past decade by leveraging its deep bancassurance partnerships, led by Canara Bank and complemented by HSBC, which together provide access to a large, sticky, and increasingly segmented customer base.With penetration among Canara Bank customers still very low and branch productivity materially below private-bank peers, incremental gains from better analytics, digital enablement, and branch activation offer a long runway for growth at low acquisition cost. HSBC adds a high-quality layer through affluent, NRI, salary, and corporate customers, supporting superior persistency and value accretion. Alongside this, gradual diversification into agency and other channels improves reach and reduces concentration risk without materially diluting long-term economics. A favorable shift in product mix toward non-par and protection, improving operating efficiency, and rising scale are driving steady expansion in value creation metrics, positioning Canara HSBC Life as a structurally improving, capital-efficient life insurer with sustained growth visibility and strong return potential over the medium term.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
Business
China hits 2025 economic growth target as exports boom
China’s economy grew by 5% last year, as record exports helped the world’s second largest economy meet its annual target.
Beijing had set a goal of “around 5%” economic growth in 2025, despite struggles to boost domestic spending and a prolonged property crisis.
China reported the world’s largest-ever trade surplus last week – the value of goods and services sold overseas compared to its imports – of $1.19tn (£890bn), driven by a rise in exports to markets outside the US, as President Donald Trump continued his tariffs policy.
But official figures released on Monday also showed that China’s economic growth slowed to a rate of 4.5% in the final three months of 2025 compared to a year earlier.
As well as China’s exporters moving away from the American market, China’s economic resilience was helped by lower-than-expected US tariffs after Beijing and Washington agreed a tariffs pause.
While China’s manufacturers continued to boost exports, the country is grappling with a number of issues in its domestic economy.
The country has been struggling with an ongoing property crisis and rising local government debt, which has made businesses more hesitant to invest and consumers cautious about spending.
Other new data on Monday showed that new home prices continued to fall in December, as the government struggled to stabilise the property market. Prices dropped 2.7% last month compared to a year earlier, the sharpest decline in five months. Property investment also fell 17.2% last year.
At the same time retail sales rose by just 0.9% in December, the slowest rate in three years.
But the country’s factory output increased by 5.2% in December from a year earlier, beating the 4.8% growth in November.
China’s leaders have pledged “proactive” policies this year as they look to increase domestic spending and shift reliance away from exports and investments.
Business
Rachel Reeves says UK listing rules ‘reinvigorating’ City amid hopes of revival
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will say that cutting red tape for firms listing their shares on the London stock markets is “reinvigorating” the City after early signs of a revival.
Ms Reeves also set her hopes on the FTSE 100’s standout year encouraging more Britons to get investing.
The Chancellor’s remarks coincide with the financial watchdog introducing new rules in the UK’s capital markets on Monday.
The new measures lower costs and speed things up for UK businesses looking to secure investment.
“Two years ago, some said the City’s best days were behind it. They were wrong,” Ms Reeves is expected to say at an event in the City of London on Monday.
“As the FTSE 100 reaches record highs and global firms once again choose London, we are seeing the first signs of a new golden age for the City.
“By cutting paperwork and speeding up access to capital, these reforms back the entrepreneurs, innovators and investors who drive our economy – while preserving the high standards and investor protections that make the UK one of the most trusted markets in the world.”
She will add that simpler and faster prospectuses and a more competitive listings regime are “reinvigorating that spirit” of openness in the London markets.
Under the new rules, companies that are already listed on London’s stock markets will not need to publish lengthy prospectuses in order to issue more shares and raise funds, in most cases.
The changes will also halve the time it takes between initial documents being published and an IPO (initial public offering) to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Furthermore, the LSE hailed the launch of its new “access bonds” initiative on the back of changes that make it easier for bonds to be issued in smaller values, therefore making them more accessible to a wider range of individual investors.
The changes come after the LSE was bolstered by a late spurt in listing activity towards the end of 2025, including the flotations of Princes Group and Shawbrook Bank.
It sparked hopes of a rebound after a prolonged drought in activity and a flurry of UK-listed businesses abandoning London for international rivals.
Meanwhile, Ms Reeves is banking on the recent record performance of the FTSE 100 ushering in more retail investors.
The index, which tracks the performance of the UK’s biggest listed companies, surpassed the milestone 10,000 mark earlier this month for the first time in its history.
It follows a standout year that saw the FTSE rise by 21.5%, the most since 2009.
The Government is working on reforms that will build a retail investment culture in the UK and remove barriers it says are unnecessary, with Britain trailing behind other countries such as the US.
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