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Pakistan weighs spot LNG as Iran war hits supply, ramps up domestic oil and gas | The Express Tribune

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Pakistan weighs spot LNG as Iran war hits supply, ramps up domestic oil and gas | The Express Tribune


Says the government considers buying ‌liquefied natural gas on the spot market to offset supply disruptions

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali Pervaiz Malik speaks during an interview with Reuters, during the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025, in Islamabad, Pakistan April 8, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Wednesday that the government is considering buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the spot market to offset supply disruptions caused by the Iran war, but would favour government-to-government deals to avoid paying steep premiums.

Qatar’s force majeure has forced ​Pakistan to make costly spot purchases or find alternative fuels ahead of summer ​demand.

Spot LNG cargoes have surged to $20 to $30 per mmBtu amid the Middle East ⁠conflict, Malik told Reuters.

Read: ‘Country has sufficient petroleum stocks’

Purchases would depend on whether ​prices are acceptable to the power sector, including under existing government-to-government arrangements with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR.

Pakistan has ​also been routing some crude supplies via Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with Malik saying insurance costs on that route were lower than routes crossing or near Hormuz.

The country ​imports nearly all of its oil, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, and ​remains exposed to supply shocks despite cutting its LNG reliance in recent years, as gas is still needed ‌to ⁠meet the country’s peak summer power demand.

It has begun commercial output from its highest-ever producing oil and gas well, as it shores up domestic supply.

“We have arrangements in place to meet domestic and industrial requirements,” Malik said, adding that gas disruptions have not led to major curbs, ​with eight of 10 ​fertiliser plants operating.

Also Read: White House says discussing second round of Iran talks in Pakistan

Officials are ⁠also considering the use of costlier fuels such as furnace oil to limit load shedding, although at the expense of higher tariffs. Malik ​warned that prolonged shortages could threaten food security.

The Baragzai X-01 well in ​Khyber-⁠Pakhtunkhwa province is producing about 15,000 barrels of oil per day and 45 million cubic feet of gas, with output expected to rise further, its state-run operator Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDC) said.

The well ​could reach up to 25,000 bpd and 60 mmcfd ​of gas, making it Pakistan’s highest-producing well, and may contribute around 10% of crude output while cutting the country’s import ​bill by about $329 million annually, OGDC said.



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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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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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SIA chief set to meet Tata Sons and AI chairman N Chandrasekaran today – The Times of India

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SIA chief set to meet Tata Sons and AI chairman N Chandrasekaran today – The Times of India


MUMBAI/ NEW DELHI: Air India’s mounting losses and operational issues are leading to serious concerns among both its parent groups. Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines (SIA, which has a 25.1% stake in AI) is in Mumbai and is expected to meet Tata Sons and AI chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday.The meeting comes in the backdrop of AI scouting for a new CEO after the resignation of incumbent Campbell Wilson. The airline is also staring at a loss of over Rs 22,500 crore in FY 2026 and has sought fresh fund infusion from Tata and SIA. The Ahmedabad crash last June and the continued closure of Pakistan airspace since Operation Sindoor, followed by US-Iran war since Feb 28, made things worse for the already deep-in-losses Maharaja.AI did not comment on the likely losses for last fiscal and whether it has sought fund infusion from the promoters. While reviving AI, which spent its last few years as a PSU in abject penury till Tata acquired it along with AI Express on Jan 27, 2022, was never expected to be easy, the slow pace of change and mounting losses, have now put the strain on promoters.While SIA is seeing its profits decline due to AI losses, Tata Sons is under pressure over mounting losses of its new unlisted ventures, especially AI and Tata Digital. Addressing their concerns and sending a clear message to AI employees, Chandrasekaran had last week told them to “be precise on costs and remain grounded in the reality of the situation”.People in the know said Tatas knew turning around AI would be tough. That’s why they did not bid for the airline in 2018. The terms changed in 2021 in the second round and they successfully bid for it, with Ajay Singh of struggling-to-survive SpiceJet being the other bidder. “There is serious concern in SIA over both financial and reputational loss that AI is causing. Whether Thursday’s meeting between Choon Phong and Chandra is to decide on the new CEO or the hiccups AI is facing, will be discussed threadbare. There is also talk of SIA planning to pull out of AI but that seems unlikely,” said a person in the know.



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