Latest news with #OptimusCapitalManagement
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Govt keeps petrol price unchanged, slashes diesel's by Rs12.84 per litre for next fortnight
The federal government announced on Friday a decrease in the price of high-speed diesel by Rs12.84 per litre, taking the rate to Rs272.99 per litre. However, it kept the price of petrol unchanged at Rs264.61 for the next fifteen days. Additionally, kerosene oil price has been lowered by Rs7.19 per litre to Rs178.27, and light diesel oil (LDO) price has been reduced by Rs8.20 per litre to Rs162.37 The new prices will come into effect from August 16, 2025. Earlier, Business Recorder had reported that a substantial decrease in the prices of petroleum products was anticipated for the fortnight commencing August 16, 2025, as per a forecast by Optimus Capital Management, citing data from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). In the previous fortnightly review, the government had decreased the price of petrol by Rs7.54 per litre, bringing it down to Rs264.61 per litre. The rate for high-speed diesel had been hiked by Rs1.48 per litre, taking it to Rs285.83 per litre.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Big drop in diesel price likely
A substantial decrease in the prices of petroleum products is anticipated for the fortnight commencing August 16, 2025, as per a forecast by Optimus Capital Management, citing data from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). According to the data, High-Speed Diesel (HSD) prices are expected to see a significant cut of Rs12.91 per litre, bringing the ex-depot rate down to Rs272.92 from Rs285.83. The decrease is attributed to a notable drop in the ex-refinery price, falling to Rs170.66 from Rs183.57. In contrast, the price of petrol is expected to increase by Rs1.04 per litre, taking the ex-depot price to Rs265.65 from the current Rs264.61. This rise is largely driven by an increase in the ex-refinery price, which has moved up to Rs159.92 per litre from Rs158.88. Meanwhile, other cost components, including margins, levies, and inland freight equalisation, remain unchanged. The petroleum levy remains unchanged at Rs78.02 per litre for petrol and Rs77.01 for diesel, while no sales tax is currently applied on either fuel type. If approved, the revision will be implemented in line with the government's fortnightly pricing mechanism, which reflects movements in global oil prices and the exchange rate.
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Sales boost drives Honda Atlas EPS to 309%
Gross margins, however, expanded by 3.1 percentage points on the back of a 26% year-on-year fall in cold-rolled coil (CRC) steel prices and 10% weakness in Thai baht against the dollar. PHOTO: HONDA ATLAS Listen to article Honda Atlas Cars Ltd (HCAR) has reported a turnaround in its financial performance for the quarter ended June 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) soaring by 309% year-on-year to Rs5.80. The sharp rise in profitability was primarily driven by a 68% increase in vehicle sales, aided by improved macroeconomic conditions, a rebound in auto financing, and lower interest rates, according to data compiled by Optimus Capital Management. The company's bottom line surged to Rs828 million, reflecting the positive impact of operational efficiencies and a better product mix, noted an auto analyst at Optimus Capital Management, Abdul Rafay. The performance marks a strong start to FY26 for Honda Atlas, though future growth may be tempered by rising regulatory challenges and pressure from used car imports. The company's net sales rose by 66% year-on-year to Rs26.5 billion, while the cost of sales climbed 62% to Rs24.2 billion. Gross margins improved to 8.6%, up from 6.3% in the same quarter last year, supported by better operational efficiency and a favourable product mix. However, despite the solid topline and bottom-line growth, the company did not announce any dividend for the quarter, consistent with its previous payout pattern. Another significant contributor to the company's liquidity position was an income tax refund of Rs2.7 billion, which helped ease its operating cash flows and lowered its tax recoverable to Rs5 billion. Despite its strong quarterly results, Honda Atlas faces considerable headwinds in the near term. Analysts at Optimus Capital maintained a 'neutral' stance on the stock, citing several policy and market-related concerns. Firstly, the lifting of restrictions on commercial imports of used vehicles is expected to weigh on new car demand, particularly in the mid-range category where Honda operates. Secondly, the introduction of new compliance requirements, such as the FBR's eligibility certificate and the imposition of the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) levy, is likely to add complexity and cost pressures to the auto business. Thirdly, the decline in cotton cultivation and unpredictable rainfall patterns are negatively impacting rural demand, traditionally a key segment for car sales in Pakistan. Fourth, the company's trade and other payables rose 21% quarter-on-quarter to Rs2.6 billion, possibly reflecting increased order bookings or stretched payment cycles, though detailed accounts for clarity are awaited. Looking ahead, the company is banking on the launch of its new electric hybrid SUV, the E-HRV, to capture market share in the growing SUV segment and partially offset pressure from imported vehicles. While Honda Atlas has benefited from a short-term macroeconomic stabilisation and a rebound in consumer financing, sustained growth will depend on policy clarity, competitive pricing, and broader sectoral recovery. Honda Atlas posted an impressive quarterly recovery, but mounting regulatory, import, and rural demand challenges could slow momentum in the coming quarters.
Business Recorder
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan's rice export revenue drops 15% in FY25 amid falling global prices
Pakistan's rice exports observed a notable drop in revenue in FY25 on account of a sharp decline in international prices, showed data released by Optimus Capital Management on Monday. As per the brokerage house, the country's total rice exports stood at 5.8 million metric tons (MMT) in FY25, down by a modest 3.7% compared to 6MMT in the previous year. But the picture was less rosy on the revenue front. Total rice export earnings registered a significant decline of 14.7% year-on-year, slipping to $3.36 billion in FY25 from $3.93 billion in FY24. The decline was largely attributed to falling global prices, particularly for non-basmati varieties, which account for over 85% of Pakistan's rice exports. Basmati rice saw a marginal increase of 3% in export volume, reaching 797,000 tons. However, earnings from basmati fell 5.2% to $832 million, as compared to $877 million in F24. The decline comes as average prices decreased nearly 9.1% year-on-year to Rs291.6 per kilogram in FY25, as compared to Rs320.8 per kilogram, according to the data. Meanwhile, exports of other rice varieties dropped 4.7% in volume and 17.4% in value, reflecting both weaker demand and intense pricing pressure in key markets. The non-basmati rice exports fetched $2.52 billion in FY25, as compared to $3.05 billion in FY24. In monthly terms, June 2025 saw a sharp drop in rice exports, with shipments down 40.6% month-on-month and 37.1% compared to June 2024. All set to export 0.1m tons of rice to Malaysia: Tarar Export revenues stood at $150 million in June 2025, declining over 50% year-on-year and 37.4% month-on-month. Meanwhile, rice exports' share in Pakistan's overall exports declined to 10.5% in FY25 from 12.8% in the previous fiscal. Despite the revenue setbacks, Pakistan's rice sector continues to play a vital role in the country's foreign exchange earnings.
Express Tribune
21-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Fuel and food items lift SPI by 0.27%
The Sensitive Price Indicator for week ending July 14 showed an increase of 16.13 per cent compared to the same week last year. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended June 19, 2025 recorded an increase of 0.27% compared to the previous week, driven by higher prices of key food and energy items, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Notable weekly increases were seen in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, up 14.86%), potatoes (3.75%), diesel (3.10%), gur (2.25%), chicken (2.17%), sugar (2.13%), petrol (1.88%), mustard oil (1.12%), powdered milk (0.97%), broken Basmati rice (0.84%), cooked daal (0.68%) and prepared tea (0.39%). Conversely, prices declined for eggs (-9.53%), tomatoes (-5.62%), garlic (-1.03%), pulse gram (-0.35%), 2.5kg vegetable ghee (-0.17%), five-litre cooking oil (-0.03%) and bananas and firewood (-0.01% each). Out of 51 essential items monitored across 50 markets in 17 cities, prices of 23 items rose, eight fell and 20 remained unchanged. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the SPI showed a decrease of 2.06%, with major drops in prices of onions (-63.22%), tomatoes (-56.11%), electricity charges for Q1 (-41.63%), garlic (-32.58%), pulse mash (-19.09%) and potatoes (-17.97%). However, significant annual increases were recorded in ladies' sandals (+55.62%), pulse moong (+28.90%), sugar (+26.19%), powdered milk (+25.93%) and LPG (+21.77%). The weekly SPI serves as a key tool to gauge short-term price movements in essential commodities and to monitor inflationary trends across the country. The SPI has shown mixed trends in recent weeks, with slight fluctuations influenced by petroleum price revisions and market demand dynamics. After experiencing declines earlier in May, the SPI has been gradually inching upwards since late May, indicating renewed inflationary pressures in both food and energy segments, according to data compiled by Optimus Capital Management. Market observers suggest that the coming weeks may witness further volatility depending on global commodity prices and domestic supply conditions. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) noted that inflation was expected to trend up and stabilise in the target range during FY26. JS Global Research Head Muhammad Waqas Ghani noted that following a 3.5% YoY increase in May 2025, the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) was expected to stand at 3.1% in June. The base effect is now fading, signalling a return to normalised price trends. This will take the FY25 average to 4.6%, down from the FY24 average of 23.9%. Food inflation for June 2025 is expected to rise 2.8% on a YoY basis, which was 0.97% last year, owing to the dissipation of base effect. Nevertheless, price decreases in certain food items are likely to lead to a month-on-month (MoM) decline in food inflation. Housing, gas and electricity segment is projected to post a 4% YoY decline in June, primarily due to a reduction in electricity tariffs. Core inflation is expected to clock in around 8.5% YoY in June 2025. It is pertinent to note that core inflation, which excludes food and energy items, has remained around 9-10% for the past many months. Urban core inflation was registered at 7.3% in May while rural core inflation was reported at 8.8%.
