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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is attracting substantial foreign interest across a broad spectrum of sectors, including energy, logistics, information technology, agriculture, mining, and digital infrastructure, with much of this activity taking place through partnerships and joint ventures with local companies.

 

Over the past three years, 79 new foreign companies have commenced operations in the country, while foreign firms invested Rs40.7 billion in key sectors during the same period.

 

According to data released by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), 1,157 foreign companies are currently registered and operational in Pakistan.

 

Nineteen foreign companies exited the market over the last three years. In 2023, 31 new companies entered Pakistan while six ceased operations. In 2024, 21 entered and nine exited. In 2025, 27 new companies registered, compared to just four closures

deepened their commitments. Mashreq Bank has launched and is expanding Pakistan’s first digital bank, while Kuwait-backed Raqami Digital Bank plans to invest $100 million.

 

UAE telecom group e& announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan by PTCL, a subsidiary in which it holds a 23.4pc effective economic interest.

 

Nestlé is investing an additional $60 million, and VEON Group has increased its investment in Mobilink Bank.

 

The Engro Jazz consortium is committing more than $550 million toward digital infrastructure expansion.

 

Additional major inflows include a $1 billion commitment from the UAE government through a local partner, a $160 million cement capacity expansion by the Mansha Group, the entry of global logistics firm Nippon Express into TCS, and renewed capital injections into the mining and minerals sector.

 

Meanwhile, the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has accelerated industrial cooperation, resulting in 24 business-to-business agreements worth more than $1.5 billion, alongside memoranda of understanding exceeding $7 billion across agriculture, renewable energy, information technology, minerals, and industrial relocation.

 

Overall, this signals an influx of foreign capital in traditional manufacturing-heavy industries along with digital and technology-focused industries.

 

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Gold falls from three-week high on profit-booking

Gold prices fell on Tuesday as investors booked profits after bullion rose more than 2 per cent in the previous session, while pressure from a stronger dollar also weighed on the yellow metal.

 

Spot gold fell 1.2pc to $5,167.28 per ounce by 05:38 GMT, snapping a four-session winning streak and dropping from a more than three-week high hit earlier in the day.

 

US gold futures for April delivery were down 0.7pc at $5,187.40.

 

“Obviously, we had a meaningful rally (in gold) yesterday. We have a little bit of a digestion here, and I think it’s noteworthy that we don’t see the panic that we saw on Wall Street extend into the Asian market,” said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive.

 

Asian stocks stabilised after a wobbly start as a fresh AI-linked selloff on Wall Street rattled investors, with sentiment also hurt by heightened anxiety over US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and geopolitical tensions.

 

The dollar edged up, making greenback-priced bullion more expensive for holders of other currencies.

 

US President Donald Trump on Monday warned countries against backing away from trade deals negotiated recently with the US after the Supreme Court struck down his emergency tariffs, saying that if they did, he would hit them with much higher duties under different trade laws.

 

Elsewhere, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he was open to leaving interest rates on hold at the March meeting if the upcoming February jobs data indicated the labour market had “pivoted to a more solid footing” after a weak 2025.

 

Markets currently expect three 25-basis-point rate cuts this year, according to CME’s FedWatch Tool.

 

Spot silver fell 0.9pc to $87.39 per ounce, after hitting a more than two-week high on Monday.

 

Spot platinum lost 0.5pc to $2,142.35 per ounce, while palladium gained 0.4pc to $1,750.98.

 

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Oil rises to near seven-month highs on US-Iran tensions

Brent crude futures rose 48 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $71.97 a barrel by 06:58 GMT, while US crude futures climbed 45 cents, or 0.7pc, to $66.76 a barrel.

 

Brent is trading at its highest since July 31, while WTI is at its firmest since August 1.

 

“At this stage, geopolitics is clearly doing most of the heavy lifting for oil prices, with the current firmness largely driven by anticipation rather than actual supply loss,” said Phillip Nova, senior market analyst, Priyanka Sachdeva.

The risk of possible military escalation in the Middle East is gaining traction, and thus, traders appear to hedge against worst-case scenarios.”

 

Iran and the US will hold a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on Sunday.

 

The United States wants Iran to give up its nuclear programme, but Iran has adamantly refused, and denied it is trying to develop an atomic weapon.

 

The State Department is pulling out non-essential government personnel, and their families, from the US embassy in Beirut, a senior State Department official said on Monday, amid growing concerns about the risk of a military conflict with Iran.

 

US President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Monday that it will be a “very bad day” for Iran if it does not make a deal.

 

“In the near-term, geopolitical factors related to the US-Iran conflict are likely to be the primary driver for oil prices,” said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

 

“For now, WTI crude oil is evolving in a short-term bullish dynamic, holding above its 20-day moving average, acting as a key short-term support at $63.90/barrel.”

 

On the trade policy front, Trump on Monday warned countries against backing away from recently negotiated trade deals with the US after the Supreme Court struck down his emergency tariffs, saying that he would hit them with much higher duties under different trade laws.

 

“US President Donald Trump created uncertainty for global growth and fuel demand with a new round of tariff hikes,” UOB Bank analysts said in a client note.

 

Trump said on Saturday he would raise a temporary tariff to 15pc from 10pc on US imports from all countries, the maximum level allowed under the law.