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FBR chief assures traders of relief on POS system, vows action against harassment | The Express Tribune
Traders complain they are facing excessive interference, penalties and shop sealings
Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mahmood Langrial. PHOTO: FILE
Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Rashid Langrial has assured traders that those unable to afford the Point of Sale (POS) system will be given relief and that no trader will be harassed.
A delegation of traders led by Central Organisation of Traders Pakistan President Kashif Chaudhry met the FBR chairman. Inland Revenue member Zubair Bilal and other officials were also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, Chaudhry apprised the FBR chairman of the challenges faced by traders, including alleged harassment by tax officials and the difficulties small businesses are encountering due to the enforcement of the POS system.
He said that despite traders’ concerns, the implementation of the POS system began at local and international brands and chain stores. While such businesses generally have computerised systems, backup power, trained staff and administrative capacity to adopt the system, smaller businesses operating within these chains continue to face practical difficulties.
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Chaudhry added that the enforcement of the POS system has significantly increased operational costs for smaller traders. He said that traders were facing excessive interference, penalties and shop sealings in the pretext of documentation, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
The traders’ leader said the FBR has now extended its operations beyond brands and chain stores to ordinary markets and shops, adopting what he described as an aggressive approach. He said large convoys of vehicles and raids on markets give the impression as an operation is conducted against enemy forces and terrorists, calling the practice humiliating and mentally distressing for traders.
According to Chaudhry, notices are being issued based on personal discretion, with some traders allegedly let off after informal settlements, while others faced harassment, fines and shop closures for refusing to comply.
Responding to the concerns, Chairman Langrial assured the delegation that traders’ issues would be resolved. He said no trader would be harassed and strict action would be taken against anyone found blackmailing traders.
He also stated that FBR staff would be suspended if complaints of bribery or corruption were proven, adding that shopkeepers who cannot afford the POS system would not be forced to install it. The chairman emphasised that future steps would be taken through consultation with trader organisations and by building mutual trust.
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 8, 2025.
David A. Grogan | CNBC
DETROIT — General Motors is on pace to be the top U.S.-traded automaker stock of 2025, as shares of GM are having their best year since the Detroit company’s reemergence from bankruptcy in 2009.
GM stock is up over 55% to a record of more than $80 per share, as of Friday’s close, topping the company’s previous annual increase of 48.3% last year. That includes a nearly 13% rise so far in December, adding to five consecutive months of share gains, according to FactSet.
Several factors have been driving the share increase. But GM CEO Mary Barra and other executives have contended for years that the automaker’s stock has been significantly undervalued given its consistent earnings performance.
“Great vehicles, innovative technology, a rewarding customer experience, along with strong financial results, will continue to set GM apart in an increasingly competitive landscape,” Barra said during the company’s last quarterly earnings call in October.
Amid the stock’s run-up, Barra has significantly cut her position in the company. She has exercised options or sold roughly 1.8 million shares this year, valued at more than $73 million, according to public filings confirmed by GM.
As of the last public filing in September, Barra still owned more than 433,500 shares valued at over $35 million, with much of her annual awards granted in options and stock.
GM’s stock performance compares with a 17% yearly increase for Tesla as of Friday’s close, a 34% jump for Ford Motor and a 15% loss for Chrysler parent Stellantis. Other U.S.-traded automakers such as Honda Motor and Toyota Motor have had smaller annual gains.
Auto stocks
GM ‘s most recent quarterly earnings were a major catalyst for Wall Street analyst bullishness that led to reratings and price target increases after the third quarter.
The automaker’s quarterly adjusted earnings per share have topped Wall Street estimates every quarter except the second quarter of 2022 over the past five years, according to average expectations of analysts compiled by FactSet.
Wall Street analysts overall have cited GM’s cash generation, earnings resilience and track record in delivering shareholder returns, including stock buybacks, as reasons for their optimism. The automaker also is expected to greatly benefit from regulation changes under the Trump administration, despite ongoing tariffs.
UBS recently increased its 12-month price target on GM stock by 14% to $97 per share, while naming the company its top autos pick heading into 2026. Morgan Stanley earlier this month also upgraded GM to overweight, with a $90 per share price target.
“In our view, General Motors leads the D3 in the North America and Global market with steady unit sales growth, [average transaction price] growth, disciplined incentive spend, and inventory management. This has resulted in better [earnings before interest and taxes] margin and return metrics than peers,” Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco said in a Dec. 7 investor note.
GM stock has cumulatively been in the black on a weekly basis since June. The largest weekly gain of 19.3% occurred when the automaker reported its third-quarter earnings on Oct. 21. Those results beat Wall Street’s expectations and the company raised its annual guidance, adding that next year’s earnings are expected to be better than 2025’s.
GM stock’s has also seen a boost from some external factors. The Trump administration has loosened U.S. fuel economy and emissions standards, removed related penalties that were imposed under the Biden administration, and renegotiated its trade deal with South Korea, a major manufacturing hub for GM. Meanwhile, the industry has been seeing a slowdown in less profitable EV sales.
“GM is effectively a regional (NA) [automaker] and we believe they are well positioned to benefit from the relaxed US regulatory environment (emissions and fuel economy),” UBS analyst Joseph Spak said in a Dec. 15 investor note raising the per share price.
GM CFO Paul Jacobson earlier this month said the company will continue stock buybacks.
“As long as the stock remains as undervalued as it is, the priority is to buy back shares. And I think you’ll continue to see that from us going forward,” he said during a UBS investor conference.
GM is rated overweight with an $80.86 target price, according to analyst averages compiled by FactSet.
— CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
Correction: Lucid shares are down for the year. An earlier version misstated their move.
The boss of cinema chain Everyman has stepped down less than three weeks after the company warned trading had been weaker than expected.
Everyman Media Group said on Monday that Alex Scrimgeour was leaving with immediate effect and would be replaced on an interim basis by non-executive director Farah Golant.
His sudden departure comes after the firm issued a trading update on 10 December where it cut its forecasts for revenue and earnings, sending its shares down 20%.
The cinema chain runs 49 venues across the UK and is known for its luxury seating and gourmet menus.
Mr Scrimgeour became chief executive of Everyman Media Group in January 2021 after heading French restaurant chain Cote Brasserie since 2015.
In its trading update earlier this month, the firm said trading at the end of the year had been “weaker than anticipated”. As a result, it expected revenues of £114.5m for 2025 and underlying earnings of at least £16.8m, down from previous forecasts of £121.5m and £19.9m respectively.
Chairman Philip Jacobson said Mr Scrimgeour had “played a pivotal role in the team that successfully led the business through its recovery from Covid, more than doubling revenue”.
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said the outgoing boss had to “deal with a succession of crises from day one” including the cost-of-living, as well as the the pandemic.
However, he added: “The share price fell by 76% during his tenure and time had run out.
“While the cinema industry did manage to regain some of its sparkle post-pandemic, Everyman lost its edge in the market.”
Mr Coatsworth said the upmarket chain had once offered “a unique proposition”, but had since been copied by rivals, including Vue and Odeon, which have installed reclining seats and “also rolled out bars inside their cinemas”.
He added that it would be interesting to see if Blue Coast Private Equity, which owns a 29% stake in Everyman, would buy the chain, “opting to remove it from the public spotlight to enact a turnaround programme”.
Business
E to E Transportation Infra IPO Day 2: GMP At 83%; Issue Receives 123.77x Subscription So Far
Last Updated:
Unlisted shares of E to E Transportation Infra are trading at Rs 319 apiece in the grey market, which is 83% premium over the issue price of Rs 174, indicating a strong listing.
E to E Transportation Infrastructure IPO.
E to E Transportation Infrastructure IPO GMP: The initial public offering (IPO) of E to E Transportation Infrastructure Ltd witnessed its second day of bidding today, Monday, December 29. The price band of the Rs 84.22-crore IPO has been fixed in the range of Rs 164 and Rs 174. Till 5:40 pm on the second day of bidding on Monday, the IPO received a total of 123.77 times subscription, garnering bids for 39,83,49,600 shares as against 32,18,400 shares on offer.
Its retail category got a 166.21x subscription, while its non-institutional investor (NII) quota got a 181.29x subscription. Its qualified institutional buyer (QIB) category has received a 6.32x subscription.
E to E Transportation Infrastructure IPO GMP Today
According to market observers, unlisted shares of E to E Transportation Infrastructure Ltd are currently trading at Rs 319 apiece in the grey market, which is a 83.33 per cent premium over the issue price of Rs 174, indicating a strong listing. Its listing will take place on January 2, Friday, on the NSE’s SME platform.
The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. ‘Grey market premium’ indicates investors’ readiness to pay more than the issue price.
E to E Transportation Infrastructure IPO: More Details
E to E Transportation Infrastructure’s Rs 84.22-crore initial public offering is a book-built issue consisting entirely of a fresh issuance of 0.48 crore equity shares. The IPO opened for subscription on December 26, 2025, and will close on December 30, 2025, with allotment expected to be finalised on December 31. The company is slated to make its debut on the NSE SME platform on January 2, 2026.
The price band for the issue has been fixed at Rs 164-Rs 174 per share. Investors can apply in lots of 800 shares. At the upper end of the band, retail investors are required to invest a minimum of Rs 2.78 lakh for two lots (1,600 shares), while high-net-worth individuals must bid for at least three lots (2,400 shares), translating to an investment of Rs 4.18 lakh.
Hem Securities Ltd is acting as the book-running lead manager to the issue, while MUFG Intime India Pvt Ltd has been appointed as the registrar. Hem Finlease Pvt Ltd will serve as the market maker.
Incorporated in 2010, E to E Transportation Infrastructure is an ISO 9001:2015-certified company that provides system integration and engineering solutions for the railway sector.
The company reported a 47% jump in revenue and a 36% rise in profit after tax in FY25 compared with the previous financial year.
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December 29, 2025, 10:23 IST
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