Business
SBP pumps Rs10.48tr into banks | The Express Tribune
At current prices, the looted gold is worth around $70 million. PHOTO: PIXABAY
KARACHI:
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday made sizeable liquidity injections through both conventional and Shariah-compliant open market operations (OMOs), providing more than Rs10.48 trillion in short-term funds to indirectly meet the government’s needs.
According to the central bank’s Domestic Markets and Monetary Management Department, the SBP accepted a total of Rs10.27 trillion in its conventional reverse repo (injection) operation. The central bank saw significant participation from market players across two tenors, which reflected persistent demand for short-term liquidity in the banking system.
In the seven-day tenor, banks offered bids of Rs10.13 trillion, all of which were accepted by the SBP at a rate of return of 11.01% per annum, with 19 quotes secured. For the 14-day tenor, Rs140.65 billion was offered and fully accepted at 11.02%, based on four quotes. The combined realised value for both tenors came in at Rs9.87 trillion.
The SBP also conducted a Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based OMO injection, aimed at supporting Islamic banking institutions facing tight liquidity positions. The total amount accepted under the Islamic OMO reached Rs214.7 billion against bids of Rs290.7 billion.
In the seven-day tenor, the central bank accepted Rs189.7 billion at an annual return of 11.05%, while one quote worth Rs25 billion was accepted in the 14-day tenor at 11.06%. The aggregate realised value for the Islamic OMO stood at Rs215 billion.
Furthermore, the Pakistani rupee recorded a slight uptick, appreciating 0.01% to close at 280.32 against the US dollar, a gain of Rs0.04 in the inter-bank market. This follows Thursday’s close at 280.36, reflecting continued stability in the local currency.
Meanwhile, gold prices in Pakistan surged, even as the international market retreated from a seven-week peak, driven largely by currency pressures and persistent local demand. According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association, the price of gold per tola climbed Rs10,700 to reach Rs454,262, while 10-gram gold rose Rs9,174 to Rs389,456. This follows Thursday’s modest increase, when the per-tola price settled at Rs443,562.
Silver prices in the domestic market also gained traction, rising from Rs232 to Rs6,684 per tola. The trend contrasted sharply with global markets, where silver dropped more than 3% after a record-breaking rally, falling to $61.7 per ounce from an all-time high of $64.64 earlier in the session.
In the international bullion market, gold eased 0.1% to $4,280.69 per ounce, while US gold futures remained largely unchanged at $4,312.90. The slight pullback was attributed to profit-taking and investor caution ahead of significant US economic data releases scheduled for next week.
Adnan Agar, Director at Interactive Commodities, said global gold prices experienced intra-day volatility. “The high was $4,353 and the market was later around $4,295 after opening at $4,270. The market went up and then dipped slightly,” he noted.
Agar expects next week’s US employment and inflation data to be decisive for gold’s direction. “If the data supports gold, it could break above its all-time high of around $4,388,” he said, adding that silver’s record highs may signal further upside potential for gold.
Britain’s competition watchdog has vowed to tackle fake and misleading online reviews “head on” as it launched investigations into firms including Just Eat and Autotrader.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said reviews are used by 90% of consumers when they buy over the internet and play a large part in the UK’s over £200 billion online retail sector.
But up to 50% of online reviews are fake, according to recent research by tech firm Truth Engine.
The CMA said its latest action against firms comes as part of a clampdown on fake and misleading reviews as shoppers increasingly rely on customer feedback when shopping online.
Emma Cochrane, executive director for consumer protection at the CMA, told the Press Association: “It’s so important that consumers can have trust in those reviews because we know that nine in 10 of us rely on them when we’re shopping, and that retail shopping in the UK is billions of pounds worth a year.
“It’s so important that consumers can have trust and confidence when they’re shopping online.”
Here are the CMA’s tips for spotting and avoiding fake reviews:
– Read the reviews
Shoppers often get taken in by five-star ratings without actually reading what people have to say about a product or service.
“You’ll be surprised at how many reviews sound dubious, overly vague or even totally unrelated to the item they’re supposedly endorsing,” the CMA said.
– Be alert to AI-generated reviews
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to make fake reviews sound fluent, polished and highly convincing.
“If a review feels a bit too slick, reads like it’s been perfectly crafted, or uses very similar wording to others, it may not reflect a real customer’s experience,” the CMA warned.
– Take a look at the other ratings
Look beyond the five-star ratings.
Three or four-star reviews are less likely to be fake, and they can be more useful to give a genuine, overall assessment.
– Check out multiple sites
Looking across several sites can help shoppers see patterns and provide a more consistent picture.
“Check a few different review sites. If you’re seeing the same kind of reviews coming up again and again, it’s more likely to be fake,” said Ms Cochrane.
The UK’s competition watchdog says it is looking at five firms in its investigation into misleading online reviews.
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Business
Gold price today (March 25, 2026): How much 24K and 22K gold cost in Delhi, Mumbai & more- Check rates – The Times of India
Gold futures traded higher on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Friday with key contracts registering gains of up to 1.6 per cent amid firm buying interest and supportive global cues.The April 2026 gold contract rose by Rs 2,290, or 1.64 per cent, to trade at Rs 1,41,783 per 10 grams. The contract moved between an intraday low of Rs 1,40,287 and a high of Rs 1,42,800. The June 2026 contract, which saw higher trading activity, gained Rs 1,921, or 1.35 per cent, to Rs 1,44,435 per 10 grams. During the session, it touched a low of Rs 1,43,652 and a high of Rs 1,45,773. Meanwhile, the August 2026 contract advanced by Rs 1,480, or 1.02 per cent, to Rs 1,47,100 per 10 grams, with an intraday range of Rs 1,47,040 to Rs 1,48,600.Here is how gold prices stand across major cities today:
Gold price in Delhi today
Gold prices in the national capital declined, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold slipped Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Mumbai today
Mumbai bullion markets also saw a drop, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Chennai today
Chennai recorded a sharper decline, with 24K gold selling at Rs 14,651 per gram, down Rs 262, while 22K gold dropped Rs 240 to Rs 13,430 per gram.
Gold price in Kolkata today
In Kolkata, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Hyderabad today
Hyderabad markets reflected a similar trend, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, slipping Rs 200.
Gold price in Bangalore today
In Bangalore, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold was selling at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Ahmedabad today
Ahmedabad bullion markets showed declines, with 24K gold at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold fell Rs 200 to Rs 13,270 per gram.
Gold price in Lucknow today
In Lucknow, 24K gold was priced at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold moved lower by Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Patna today
Patna markets also recorded weaker rates, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,270 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Jaipur today
In Jaipur, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,280 per gram, down Rs 200.
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