Islamabad / Bloomberg Pakistan’s central bank unexpectedly lowered its benchmark interest rate for the first time since September to boost economic growth before the government presents its budget for the new financial year. The State Bank of Pakistan cut the target policy rate to 5.75 percent from 6 percent, it said Saturday in an e-mailed statement in Karachi. All ...

  Colombo / Bloomberg Sri Lanka left its benchmark rates unchanged for a third straight month after it agreed a $1.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to help improve public finances. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka kept the standing lending facility rate at 8 percent and the standing deposit facility rate at 6.5 percent, it said in ...

Singapore / Bloomberg HSBC’s weight-loss drive in India could leave the country’s banking system feeling a little breathless. But the health benefits will eventually show up. The UK-based lender will close half its branches in the country, which last year accounted for 3.2 percent of the group’s pre-tax profit. Assuming that the bank’s strategy of serving more of its Indian ...