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Liquid foreign reserves rise slightly to $21b | The Express Tribune

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Liquid foreign reserves rise slightly to b | The Express Tribune


SBP injects Rs2.06tr, gold crosses Rs473,000/tola and silver surges past Rs7,900/tola on global rally

Nearly 87% of foreign loans were for budget financing and building foreign exchange reserves, which meant that these had not been utilised for creating assets. PHOTO: FILE


KARACHI:

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased marginally during the week ended December 19, 2025, rising by $16 million to $15,902.5 million from $15,886.5 million a week earlier, official data released by the central bank showed.

The country’s total liquid foreign reserves stood at $21,022.6 million as of December 19. Of this amount, net foreign reserves held by commercial banks were recorded at $5,120.1 million.

During the week, the SBP injected Rs2.063 trillion into the financial system through reverse repo purchase and Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based open market operations (OMOs) to manage market liquidity.

According to the central bank, a five-day tenor OMO, reverse repo purchase (injection), was conducted on December 26, 2025, under which Rs1.728 trillion was injected against 15 bids. The remaining Rs335 billion was injected through Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based OMOs.

For the reverse repo purchase of the five-day tenor, the SBP received 15 bids cumulatively offering Rs1,728.75 billion at rates of return ranging between 10.51% and 10.61%. The central bank accepted the full amount against all 15 quotes at a uniform rate of return of 10.51%.

Separately, the SBP also conducted a Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based OMO for the same five-day tenor. The central bank received four bids offering Rs335 billion at rates of return between 10.53% and 10.57%, and accepted all four quotes at a rate of return of 10.53%.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani rupee posted a marginal gain against the US dollar on Friday, appreciating by 0.01% in the interbank market.

According to SBP data, the local currency closed at 280.17 per dollar, strengthening by three paisa compared with the previous session. The rupee had ended trading at 280.20 against the greenback on Wednesday.

Gold prices in Pakistan rose sharply on Friday, tracking a strong rally in international bullion markets driven by expectations of US interest rate cuts and heightened geopolitical tensions, which boosted demand for safe-haven assets.

In the local market, the price of gold per tola increased by Rs500 to Rs473,362, according to rates released by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA). Similarly, the price of 10-gram gold rose by Rs429 to Rs405,831.

The latest increase follows Wednesday’s surge, when gold per tola touched a fresh all-time high of Rs472,862 after gaining Rs2,000 in a single session, underscoring strong upward momentum in domestic bullion prices.

Silver prices also posted a notable increase in the local market, with the per tola rate rising by Rs240 to Rs7,945, reflecting sharp gains in international silver markets.

Globally, spot gold climbed 1.1% to $4,526.92 per ounce, after briefly touching a record high of $4,533.14 earlier in the session. US gold futures for February delivery gained 1.3% to $4,559, according to Reuters.

Silver outperformed other precious metals, breaching the $75 per ounce level for the first time. Spot silver surged 4.5% to $75.20 per ounce by 10:06am ET, after hitting an all-time high of $75.62. The metal is now up 161% year-to-date, supported by persistent supply deficits, its designation as a US critical mineral and strong investment inflows.



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SBP currently has 64.76-ton gold reserves worth $10.37b – SUCH TV

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SBP currently has 64.76-ton gold reserves worth .37b – SUCH TV



After the rollercoaster ride in international bullion markets, the value of gold reserves of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has now skyrocketed to over 10 billion dollars.

The State Bank released details regarding the country’s gold reserves, revealing that the total value of the 64.76 tons of gold reserves stood at $10.374 billion.

According to the SBP, the value of Pakistan’s gold reserves increased by $1.279 billion in January 2026.

Over the first seven months of the current fiscal year, the country’s gold reserves have grown by $3.5 billion.

In June 2025, the value of Pakistan’s gold reserves was recorded at $6.84 billion.

The data also indicates that the country holds 20,82,000 ounces or approximately 5.5 million tolas of gold in reserves.



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AI Training Poster In India Catches Genpact VP’s Attention As Tech Buzz Hits Streets

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AI Training Poster In India Catches Genpact VP’s Attention As Tech Buzz Hits Streets


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Christian Eich of Genpact highlights India’s rapid AI adoption, stressing that workforce adaptability, not just technology, will drive competitive advantage in supply chain.

AI Impact Summit 2026 begins today in India

AI Impact Summit 2026 begins today in India

A senior supply chain executive has spotlighted the growing visibility of artificial intelligence adoption in India, arguing that the real competitive edge lies not in AI itself, but in how quickly professionals learn to work alongside it.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Christian Eich, Vice President Supply Chain and Partner at Genpact, reflected on the rapid pace of AI integration during a visit to India. “Let’s face it, AI will replace some jobs. But it’s also reshaping roles, creating new ones, and raising the bar on skills,” he wrote, adding that the key differentiator will be how fast people adapt to the technology.

AI company leaders are arriving in India to mark their presence in AI Impact Summit 2026, which is happening between February 16-20, 2026.

AI Momentum Becomes Increasingly Visible In India

Eich noted that while jobs in India are not directly comparable to those in other regions, the momentum around AI adoption is “striking” and increasingly visible. His comments align with broader industry observations that India is emerging as a major hub for AI experimentation and deployment, particularly in technology services and global capability centers.

India’s large digital workforce, expanding startup ecosystem, and growing enterprise investment in automation have accelerated the shift. From AI-powered customer service platforms to advanced analytics in supply chains and manufacturing, the technology is being embedded across functions rather than confined to pilot projects.

Skills, Not Software, As The Real Differentiator

Eich emphasized that AI’s impact goes beyond generating social media content or creative avatars — uses that have become common in professional networks. Instead, he challenged professionals to consider how they are deploying AI tools in daily workflows to improve productivity and decision-making.

Christian Eich/Linkedin

As head of the European Supply Chain Managed Services & Analytics practice at Genpact, Eich leads initiatives focused on AI-enabled operating models designed to enhance cost efficiency and agility. His remarks reflect a growing consensus among transformation leaders that workforce upskilling and human-machine collaboration will define the next phase of enterprise AI adoption.

The message is clear: the technology itself may be widely accessible, but the ability to harness it effectively could determine who leads — and who lags — in the evolving labor market.

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Stocks to buy: What’s the outlook for Nifty for February 16-20 week? Check list of top stock recommendations – The Times of India

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Stocks to buy: What’s the outlook for Nifty for February 16-20 week? Check list of top stock recommendations – The Times of India


Top stocks to buy (AI image)

Stock market recommendations: Arvind, and Bajaj Finance are the top stock picks by Sudeep Shah, Head – Technical Research and Derivatives, SBI Securities for the week starting February 16, 2026. He also shares his views and outlook on Nifty, Bank Nifty:Index View: NiftyLast week, the Nifty once again struggled to hold above the psychologically important 26000 mark, triggering a fresh wave of profit booking. After briefly touching 26009, the index slipped nearly 550 points in the final two sessions alone—a swift reversal that clearly reflects supply pressure at higher levels. While the headline decline may appear routine, the forces driving this correction point to deeper shifts beneath the surface.A major drag came from the Nifty IT index, which suffered a steep 8% weekly fall and is now down more than 14% month-to-date, making it one of the sharpest sectoral losers in recent months. The sell-off has been aggravated by growing concerns over the rapid rise of AIled start-ups, which investors increasingly view as structurally disruptive to traditional IT services. The speed and extent of the decline suggest this may not just be a short-lived pullback, raising the critical question of whether the sector has fully priced in the evolving risks.Technically, the IT space continues to flash strong warning signals. Every key constituent of the Nifty IT index is now trading below its major moving averages, all of which are trending firmly downward. Momentum indicators remain deeply bearish, with no signs of stabilization or reversal. In this environment, bottomfishing attempts could prove premature unless charts begin to show a meaningful shift.Turning back to the broader Nifty, the index has slipped below its 20day, 50day, and 100day EMAs, reflecting clear deterioration in both short and medium term trend strength. Notably, the 20day and 50day EMAs have also begun to slope downward—an early yet powerful indication of weakening momentum. The daily RSI’s failure to reclaim the 60 level during the recent pullback, followed by a dip below its 9day average, suggests that upside potential may remain restricted for now.Looking ahead, the 25350–25300 zone is expected to act as immediate support. A decisive break below 25300 could pave the way for a deeper slide toward 25100, and subsequently the key 24900 level. On the upside, the 50day EMA zone at 25650–25700 now stands as a stiff barrier and will need to be cleared for the index to regain any meaningful momentum.Bank Nifty ViewThe Bank Nifty outperformed the frontline indices last week, ending the week on a flat note despite heightened volatility in the broader market. For most of the week, the index remained stuck in a narrow 431point range, signalling a clear phase of consolidation. This stability, however, broke on Friday as the index slipped into a range breakdown, indicating the first signs of weakness after several sessions of subdued price action.Despite Friday’s dip, Bank Nifty continues to hold above all its major moving averages, which remain in an upward trajectory—underscoring that the broader trend structure is still intact. However, momentum indicators and oscillators are pointing towards a sideways-to-neutral bias, suggesting that the index may continue to consolidate before any meaningful directional move emerges.In the days ahead, the 20day EMA zone of 60000–59900 will act as immediate support. A sustained breakdown below 59900 could open the gates for further decline towards the 50day EMA, currently placed near 59467. On the upside, the 60600–60700 zone remains a critical resistance area, and only a decisive close above this band may set the stage for a fresh upward move.

Stock recommendations:

ArvindArvind has delivered a downward sloping trendline breakout on the weekly chart, backed by strong follow-through price action and rising volumes, which adds credibility to the move. Weekly RSI has jumped from 43 to 65, signalling a sharp improvement in bullish momentum and a shift toward strength territory. ADX is rising steadily, indicating that trend strength is expanding on the upside. Rising MACD histogram bars further show increasing positive momentum and growing bullish control. Overall, the price structure and indicator alignment suggest the stock is well positioned to extend its up move in the coming sessions. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 386-383 with a stoploss of 370. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 420 in the short term. Bajaj FinanceBajaj Finance has broken out above a downward sloping trendline on the daily chart, pointing to a potential shift from correction to fresh uptrend. On the weekly chart, a three outside up candle pattern is visible, where a strong bullish candle fully engulfs the prior bearish candle and is followed by further upside, a classic bullish reversal structure. RSI has surged from 39 to 56 in three sessions, reflecting sharp momentum recovery. In ADX, DI+ crossing above DI− shows bullish directional strength is building. Meanwhile, shrinking red MACD histogram bars indicate that downside momentum is fading and buyers are gradually taking control. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 1025-1035 with a stoploss of 1000. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 1100 in the short 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)



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