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Profit-taking drags PSX below 155,000 | The Express Tribune

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Profit-taking drags PSX below 155,000 | The Express Tribune


The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended the week on a bearish note, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index sliding 1,701 points, or 1.09%, to close at 154,440 on Friday.

The session began on a positive footing, but momentum faded quickly as profit-taking set in, pushing the index below the key 155,000 level.

Heavy selling in index-heavy sectors—banks, fertilisers, power, cement, and exploration and production—exerted downward pressure. UBL, FFC, ENGROH, HUBC, LUCK, and OGDC collectively knocked off 970 points from the benchmark, according to Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd.

Also ReadGovt seeks IMF nod for new tax

Trading activity moderated, with volumes declining to 984.9 million shares, valued at Rs39.8 billion. FNEL led the chart with 61.9 million shares changing hands.

Despite Friday’s slump, the KSE-100 managed to finish the week marginally positive, adding 163 points, or 0.11%. The index opened the week at 155,057, touched a record high of 157,817, and dipped to 154,360 before closing at 154,440.

Analysts expect volatility to persist in the coming sessions, as investors continue booking profits. However, the 154,000 level is seen as a strong support zone, providing some stability to the market.



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Pfizer, Moderna shares fall on report that Trump officials will link child deaths to Covid shots

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Pfizer, Moderna shares fall on report that Trump officials will link child deaths to Covid shots


Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021.

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

Shares of Pfizer and Moderna fell on Friday after a report that Trump administration health officials plan to link Covid vaccines to the deaths of 25 children. 

The report from the Washington Post said officials plan to include the claim in a presentation next week to a key vaccine panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.That committee plays a critical role in determining vaccine access, as it reviews immunization data and makes recommendations on who is eligible for shots and whether insurers should cover them, among other duties.

But the presentation to that panel is not final, the Post reported.

“FDA and CDC staff routinely analyze VAERS and other safety monitoring data, and those reviews are being shared publicly through the established ACIP process,” a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement, referring to the panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

“Until that is shared publicly, any this should be considered pure speculation,” the spokesperson added.

Pfizer’s stock fell more than 3% on Friday, while shares of Moderna dropped more than 7%. Novavax, which creates protein-based Covid shots, slid more than 4%.

The report comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moves to change vaccine policy in the U.S. He has dropped Covid shot recommendations for healthy kids and pregnant women and set new limits on the approval of new jabs against the virus.

In a statement, Moderna said the safety of its vaccine is “rigorously monitored” by the company, the FDA and regulators in more than 90 countries. Systems across the U.S., Australia, Canada and Europe have not identified “any new or undisclosed safety concerns in children or in pregnant women,” Moderna added.

Pfizer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that shots using mRNA technology, including Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, are safe and effective, and serious side effects have happened in extremely rare cases.

Researchers have noted an elevated but rare risk of myocarditis, or inflamed heart muscle, in young men in particular. But there is no evidence that the vaccines in use now cause any other major safety risks, including pediatric deaths. Global surveillance data also continue to generally show that the benefits of Covid vaccination outweigh the risks in pediatric populations.

The Washington Post said the claim appears to be based on information submitted to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which monitors the safety of shots approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. The system contains unverified reports of side effects, including from patients, doctors and pharmacists.

Only scientists and public health officials can determine, after thorough investigation, whether a vaccine caused or contributed to a side effect submitted to the system, according to the CDC website.

Last week, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary told CNN the agency is conducting an “intense investigation” into whether Covid shots have caused deaths in children. He did not share specific data linking pediatric deaths to the vaccine, but pointed to self-reported incidents in the safety system database. 

The FDA plans to release a report in the coming weeks, Makary added.

“We do know at the FDA, because we’ve been looking into the [vaccine safety] database of self reports, that there have been children who have died from the Covid vaccine,” Makary told CNN.

During a Senate hearing last week, Kennedy said he supports a statement made by a newly appointed member of a key government vaccine panel that mRNA vaccines pose a dangerous risk to people.



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Hundreds of Hull families to get school uniform money

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Hundreds of Hull families to get school uniform money


More than 1,000 students will get extra help with school uniform costs, Hull City Council has said.

Next month, Year 7 pupils in Hull who receive free school meals will be given a £50 uniform voucher – £10 more than in previous years.

The money, from the government’s Household Support Fund, will be distributed to families before the October half term.

Council leader Mike Ross said: “We are absolutely aware that we are still in a cost of living crisis, so we hope these increased grants can help make a difference.”

Ross added: “We know that £50 won’t cover every item of uniform, which is why we’ve called on the government to provide additional support to local authorities like Hull to be able to provide more help for children from low-income families.

“Having been asked to look at the level of funding for school uniforms by full council, I know it was the right move to increase the amount available for those in need.”



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What’s The India Link Behind Nepal’s Only Billionaire?

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What’s The India Link Behind Nepal’s Only Billionaire?


Binod Chaudhary, chairman of Chaudhary Group (CG Corp Global), has built a formidable empire of 136 companies.



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