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US concerned about debt Pakistan owes China, official says

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  • Derek Chollet is in Pakistan leading a high-ranking delegation. 
  • We wouldn’t ask Pakistan to choose between US, China, says official.
  • Says Washington working with Islamabad to navigate through current crisis.

ISLAMABAD: The United States is concerned about the debt owed to China by Pakistan and other countries, US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet said on Thursday during a visit to Islamabad as the country dealt with an economic crisis.

Pakistan, historically a close ally of Washington, has become increasingly close to China, which has provided billions in loans and is Islamabad’s largest single creditor. Pakistan faces a crippling economic crisis, with decades-high inflation and critically low foreign exchange reserves depleted by continued debt repayment obligations.

“We have been very clear about our concerns not just here in Pakistan, but elsewhere all around the world about Chinese debt, or debt owed to China,” Chollet told journalists at the US Embassy in Islamabad after he met with Pakistani officials.

China and Chinese commercial banks held about 30% of Pakistan’s total external debt of about $100 billion, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released in September last year.

Much of that debt has come under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Cholett said Washington was talking to Islamabad about the “perils” of a closer relationship with Beijing, but would not ask Pakistan to choose between the United States and China.

Relations between Islamabad and Washington had turned frosty over the war in Afghanistan, but there has been a thaw in recent months, with an increasing number of high-level visits.

Officials from China and the United States will be part of a multi-country meeting of a new sovereign debt roundtable on Friday.

G7 and multilateral lending institutions have long pushed for broad efforts to deliver debt relief to heavily indebted nations to help them avoid cuts in social services that could spur social unrest.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and other G7 officials see China, now the world’s largest sovereign creditor, as a key stumbling block in debt-relief efforts.

Chollet said the US was working with Pakistan to navigate through the current crisis.

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With the PSX at 115,000, investors profit while the sun is shining.

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Despite the numerous actions the government has taken in recent months, the nation’s economy is still growing.

The extraordinary rise in equities in recent years is evidence that the economic “turnaround” has given investors cause for optimism.

As market participants eagerly made investments, the KSE-100 index crossed the 115,000 level on Friday, the penultimate working day of the current week on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The stocks gained strength on the 13th consecutive day, highlighting improvement in the country’s economy.

During early hours of trading, stocks climbed to 115,172 with a gain of 600 points.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) reached its peak by surging above 114,000 points on Thursday. It has been over a month since the surge began.

The figure jumped by a substantial 2,500 points to 113,374 points during Thursday’s session. The KSE-100 index closed at 114,180, up 3,370 points, after surpassing 114,000 points later in the day.

On Wednesday, stocks closed at 111,810.

FLOW AND EBB

The market had a sharp bearish rise a few days ago, but it was short-lived as bullish momentum returned. The benchmark KSE-100 index gained more than 2,000 points and is currently sitting around 111,000. It was in opposition to the close of 108,896 points the day before.

CUT THE rating ON THE CARDS

The proverbial bulls have been galloping for the past month or so thanks to the financial infusion from the International Monetary Fund’s loan disbursement and more discussions on climate funding.

The impending policy rate cut meeting of the SBP is another factor contributing to the current market attitude. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank is scheduled to convene on Monday, December 16.

On November 30, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) achieved a historic milestone by reaching a record-breaking high of 100,000 points following an unheard-of run of gains.

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ADB Adjusts Pakistan’s Economic Growth Forecast to 3% for 2024-25, Indicating Positive Economic Trajectory

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Pakistan’s economic growth is projected to be three percent in the fiscal year 2025, according to the Asian Development Bank’s revised prediction, which is an upward revision from the previous forecast.

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The PSX 100 index crosses 113,000 points, marking a historic milestone.

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The historic 113,213-point milestone has been surpassed for the first time by the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), setting a new record.

The stock market experienced a spectacular start to the trading session, rising 1,400 points in just 30 minutes. At an all-time high of 112,277 points, the KSE-100 Index jumped 1,467 points.

With the index rising 1,200 points in just 15 minutes after the market began, the PSX had already reached another milestone. At 112,041 points, the KSE-100 Index had risen 1,231 points.

In another example of record-breaking performance, the PSX saw a 1,000-point spike in just 10 minutes. The KSE-100 Index rose 1,100 points to 111,911 points, regaining the 111,000-point milestone and hitting its highest level ever.

The PSX’s exceptional performance establishes it as a crucial gauge of economic optimism by highlighting robust investor confidence and substantial market momentum.

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