Karachi, December 3, 2025 – Pakistan’s business sentiment has seen a significant boost, with the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) Business Confidence Index (BCI) – Wave 28 reporting an 11-point increase, raising overall confidence to +22 percent.
The latest survey, covering businesses that contribute nearly 80 percent of the country’s GDP, also highlights the growing adoption of generative AI technologies, with 43 percent of OICCI members already implementing AI and 81 percent expecting AI to manage key business functions in the near future.
The services sector recorded its highest sectoral score since 2017, posting a remarkable 24 percent increase, while the retail sector improved by 15 percent and manufacturing showed a modest 1 percent growth. Confidence gains were observed across metro cities, rising from 14 percent to 23 percent, and non-metro regions, from -3 percent to 19 percent, indicating broad-based recovery nationwide.
OICCI members’ confidence increased from +17 percent in the previous wave to +27 percent, reflecting optimism around investment, expansion, and operational growth. Forward-looking indicators also showed positive momentum: the New Orders (Expansion) Index jumped to 41 percent from 26 percent, driven by services (23% to 47%) and retail (14% to 41%). Hiring expectations strengthened as the New Jobs Index rose to 16 percent, supported by a 21-point surge in services sector employment plans. The New Investment Index also rebounded from -4 percent to +12 percent, led by services and manufacturing.
OICCI President Yousaf Hussain stated that the Wave 28 findings indicate a constructive shift in business sentiment, while Secretary General M. Abdul Aleem noted that sustained growth will require attention to structural challenges in manufacturing. Respondents still cited taxation, inflation, rupee devaluation, corruption, and policy inconsistencies as key risks to long-term business growth.