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Pakistan repays $500m Eurobond on time, meets all obligations | The Express Tribune

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Pakistan repays 0m Eurobond on time, meets all obligations | The Express Tribune


Pakistan has successfully repaid its $500 million International Bond (Eurobond) that matured on September 30, 2025, in line with all its obligations.

Advisor to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad announced on X on Wednesday that the Eurobond, issued in 2015 to global investors with a 10-year tenor, was settled on time.

“This repayment reflects Pakistan’s ability and determination to honor its international obligations on schedule,” Schehzad said. “What makes it even more significant is that it comes at a time of improving fundamentals and investor sentiment.”

The announcement comes against the backdrop of recent gains in Pakistan’s economic indicators. External buffers and liquidity have strengthened, sovereign ratings have been upgraded, and investor confidence has picked up — with Pakistan’s bonds trading at a premium in recent months.

Read: Rating upgrade sparks Eurobond rally

Debt sustainability metrics have also improved. Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio has declined from 77 per cent in FY20 to 70 per cent in FY25. The share of external debt in total public debt has fallen from 38pc to 32pc, reducing foreign exchange vulnerabilities. Debt growth has also moderated sharply in FY25 compared to earlier years.

Looking ahead, Pakistan is better positioned to re-enter international markets. “Easing global borrowing costs, coupled with stronger fundamentals, give Pakistan room to access capital on more competitive terms and build a more sustainable debt profile,” Schehzad added.

Pakistan’s international bonds have been on an upward trajectory in recent months, aided by improving macroeconomic fundamentals. Following Standard & Poor’s upgrade of Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating to ‘B-‘ with a stable outlook in July 2025, bonds across the yield curve witnessed strong gains, with longer-tenor instruments rallying sharply. The 30-year bond maturing in 2051 rose over 10% month-to-date, while shorter maturities, including the 2025 and 2026 bonds, also edged higher.

Investor confidence has remained resilient even during periods of geopolitical tension. In May 2025, Pakistan’s Eurobond and Sukuk prices posted notable gains despite Indo-Pak escalation, as yields declined by up to 61 basis points across tenors. Analysts attributed this to IMF programme progress, improved foreign reserves, and controlled inflation, which reduced default risk and attracted global investors.

Read More: Global bonds rally despite Indo-Pak escalation

The momentum in global debt markets has been building since 2023. Pakistan’s international bonds more than doubled in value after securing a $3 billion IMF bailout in June 2023, with investors expressing renewed confidence in reforms and the government’s ability to service its debt. Analysts noted that the sharp rally in Eurobonds and Sukuks was driven by fiscal consolidation, current account improvements, and exchange rate stability.





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Pine Labs, Groww & more: Top stocks to watch on April 16 – The Times of India

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Pine Labs, Groww & more: Top stocks to watch on April 16 – The Times of India


Citigroup initiated its coverage of Pine Labs with a buy rating and a target price of Rs 235. Analysts said that India’s payments fintech is on a monetization improvement trajectory, with leading players increasingly entrenched in respective core areas of leadership. While product, services and distribution build-outs into comprehensive plays will continue across the fintech ecosystem, large players don’t face significant disruption risks owing to: Across-the-board profitability push; rising regulatory costs and compliance requirements; and stickiness borne out of integration into enterprise business workflows. Further, while consumer payments have seen flux in competitive positioning in the past decade, there have been relatively fewer changes in positioning and leadership within segments in merchant payments.BoFA Securities has initiated its coverage of Groww (Billionbrains Garage Ventures) with a buy rating and a target price of Rs 235. Analysts said Groww is well positioned to capitalize on India’s retail investing tailwinds and they expect compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for revenue at 30% over FY26-FY28. The company produces best-in-class profitability with further upside from operating leverage. Analysts have valued Groww at 39x FY28E price-to-earnings. They, however, said that the near-term risks for the stock are a weak capital market performance and the expiry of the six-month lock-in of shares post-IPO.Elara Capital initiated its coverage of Jindal Saw with a buy rating and a target price of Rs 280. Analysts said earnings recovery is expected over FY27–FY28, driven by water, and oil & gas demand. The company’s order book is at an all-time high, indicating strong visibility. They also feel Jal Jeevan Mission spending revival to drive domestic pipe demand, while the global pipeline capex is supported by energy security concerns. Analysts also pointed out that exports are rising, with diversification reducing dependence on domestic capex. The company’s capacity expansion to support margins and operating leverage. They feel the stock’s valuations are attractive, with rerating potential driven by execution and growth.Jefferies has downgraded Indus Towers to underperform from buy with a target price cut to Rs 375 from Rs 530. Analysts downgrade the stock due to site-renewal risks bunched up over second half of 2026 (H2CY26) and first half of 2027 (H1CY27) which could impact revenues and growth. Elevated capex levels due to higher growth and maintenance capex which will impact earnings growth as well free cash flow and payouts. They cut Indus Towers’ revenue and profit after tax (PAT) estimates by 2-6% to factor renewal risks post which stock offers 3% EPS growth and a 4% yield. They said risks on growth outlook should weigh on re-rating potential too.Kotak Institutional Equities has a buy on Ujjivan SFB with a target price of Rs 72. Analysts said that the RBI has returned Ujjivan SFB’s application for a universal bank license, citing need for further loan portfolio diversification. While the outcome is clearly not favourable, the regulator has flagged no concerns relating to governance, compliance or operational soundness. Analysts said their investment thesis did not factor in any benefit from a potential transition to a universal bank. Hence, they maintained a buy but remained watchful of any sharp changes in asset mix strategy in response to RBI’s feedback.(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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China’s hits economic growth target despite Iran war disruption

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China’s hits economic growth target despite Iran war disruption



The better-than-expected GDP data comes as Asian countries have been hit hard by the impact of the conflict.



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Geelong fire: Blaze at Australian oil refinery to impact petrol supplies

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Geelong fire: Blaze at Australian oil refinery to impact petrol supplies



The fire has deepened fears over the nation’s petrol supplies amid a global crunch.



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