KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan said on Thursday the country’s current account, which comprises external trade and transfers, had posted a record and one of the highest monthly surpluses in March 2025 with $1.19 billion, up 229% year-on-year.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange also concluded Thursday’s session on a bullish note, with the KSE-100 Index advancing by 881 points, or 0.76%, to close at 116,901 level. 
“Investor sentiment was buoyed by record-high remittances, which contributed to a historic current account surplus in March 2025. The surplus for the first nine months of FY25 reached $1.9 billion,” Topline securities said in a statement. 
The surplus in March 2024 stood at $363 million, the latest central bank data showed. 
On Monday, Central Bank governor Jameel Ahmad had said the current account would show a “substantial” surplus this year through June mainly on the back of a record inflow of remittances which crossed the $4 billion mark in March, with Saudi Arabia once again topping the list of biggest contributors.
“With record monthly surplus in March 2025, cumulative surplus in country’s Current Account for 9MFY25 (Jul-Mar25) now stands at $1.86 billion, which was in a deficit of $1.65 billion in the same period last year,” SBP said. 
In March 2025, Pakistan’s exports recorded at $3.51 billion, growing 8.7% YoY and 6.0% MoM. Imports also rose 8.0% YoY to $5.92 billion in March but fell 1.9% MoM.
“Resultantly, while Trade Deficit (Goods+Services) went up 7% YoY, it narrowed 11.5% MoM in March 2025,” the data showed. 
For 9MFY25 (Jul-Mar25), total exports now stand at $30.9 billion, up 8.1% YoY, while total imports stand at $51.9 billion, up 10.7% YoY, with the cumulative trade deficit at $21.1 billion, up 14.7% YoY. 
“With oil prices down, and remittances continuing to make a record mark, Pakistan’s current account is expected to be in deep surplus by June FY25 and may also continue in FY26, thereby resulting in further scale-up in overall investor confidence,” the central bank said. 
Pakistan received a record-high $4.1 billion in remittances in March 2025, which bodes well for the government’s efforts to revive an economy that it expects will expand three percent this year, SBP governor Ahmad said at an event at the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi on Monday.
The central bank had earlier projected economic growth to range from 2.5% to 3.5%.
“With this level of remittances, we are hoping that for the current fiscal year our current account will stay in surplus,” the governor said. “There will be a substantial surplus and this surplus is the best performance, I will say, on the external account during the last two decades.”
The country broke its own record in February when overseas Pakistanis remitted $3.1 billion.

RIYADH: US-based management consulting firm Bain & Co. has announced the opening of its new regional headquarters in Riyadh, as the Kingdom’s capital continues to attract top global firms. 

The new office, located in the King Abdullah Financial District, marks Bain’s third location in the Saudi capital and more than doubles the size of its previous space, the company said in a statement. 

Bain’s move comes amid a broader wave of multinational companies establishing regional bases in the Kingdom, with nearly 600 international firms having set up regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia since 2021, including Northern Trust, Bechtel, PepsiCo, IHG Hotels & Resorts, PwC, and Deloitte, the Saudi Press Agency reported in March. 

Ahmed Boshnak, partner and head of Bain & Co.’s Riyadh office, said: “This investment is a natural next step on our journey in Saudi Arabia. It’s a reflection of the trust our clients have placed in us, the incredible talent we’ve been able to build, and our continued optimism about the market’s future.”  

Riyadh’s regional headquarters program offers incentives such as a 30-year corporate income tax exemption and withholding tax relief, alongside regulatory support for multinationals operating in the Kingdom. 

He added: “Being in KAFD puts us closer to many of our clients, and the new space gives our team the right environment to collaborate, grow, and continue delivering meaningful results.” 

Bain has served clients in the Middle East since 1990 and established its first regional office in the region in 2007. The firm’s new headquarters reflects a long-term investment in both local talent and Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation efforts. 

“This milestone is about investing where it matters most: enabling us to be closer to and better serve our clients from the latest infrastructure in the heart of Riyadh,” said Tom De Waele, Middle East managing partner at Bain & Co.  

“We’re grateful for the partnerships we've built in the market and are excited about what lies ahead,” he added. 

Founded in 1973, Bain & Co. has offices in 65 cities across 40 countries. It advises clients across various industries and has committed over $1 billion to pro bono work over the past decade. 

The expansion underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing appeal as a strategic base for global firms looking to tap into regional opportunities, as the Kingdom advances its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.