Stock Market Returns and Weather Anomaly: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

Financial economists believe that the arbitrage forces in the market are the main reason of market efficiency and these forces are the fundamental concept of efficient market hypothesis (EMH). During last few years, various theoretical and empirical evidences have been presented to support the work of financial modeling for the markets with less than rational investors whose trading strategies are based on psychological factors like mood and emotions. Weather condition is among the substantial factors affecting investors’ mood and emotions. Present study investigates the impact of temperature on stock market returns in emerging economy of Pakistan. Using the daily temperature records and stock market indices of Karachi and Islamabad, the study has employed auto regressive (AR) – generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model from 2006 to 2010. Based on AR (1)-GARCH (1, 1) estimation the study has found that weather temperatures of both Karachi and Islamabad are negatively related with Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) index returns, respectively

“The Capitalist Lie”: A Postcolonial, Marxist Analysis of The Extreme Centre

This research presents a postcolonial analysis of Tariq Ali’s non-fictional work. The ‘Extreme Centre’ focusing mainly on the Marxist and Althusserian theoretical perspectives of the self and the other. The notions of Marxist social divide between the bourgeoisie and the proletarians, and the Althusser’s Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses have been applied to decipher Tariq Ali’s standing as a postcolonial writer. The strong impact of the imperial and neo-imperial Ideology has been influencing the subjectivities of the masses around the world, including the masses in the West through the spread of imperial and neo-imperial Ideology. The interpellated subjectivities of the western proletarians are constructed by making them believe that the Western ideological and physical supremacy over the world would herald a golden age. However, the illusion of growth, opulence, and liberty is blemished by the outcomes of the imperial wars and capitalist greed. A critical reading of Ali’s work reveals that heralding of a Global revolution is indispensable yet not imminent, until the initiation of dissent from within the Empire

Teaching English Grammar through Animated Movies

This study seeks to examine how various components of English grammar can be taught through animated movies. The study demonstrates the use of gerunds in a sentence or a discourse through an animated feature film Tangled. The data for this research was taken from the students of grade eight. The students were shown various video clips, comprising dialogues and songs, from the movie and asked to identify the use of gerunds. Later, the students were given various worksheets containing tasks, based on the use of gerunds in a sentence. The students remained very responsive during the whole lesson and effectively learned the use of gerunds and the difference between gerunds and the present participle. The study concluded that animated movies in grammar teaching classes can serve as a positive reinforcement tool for the language learning process as the animated movies considerably increase the learning speed and proficiency of the students

Code-Switching as a Pedagogical Tool in English as a Foreign Language (Efl) Classrooms

The study explores and analyzes the pedagogical implications of code switching between Urdu and English languages in undergraduate EFL classrooms. It examines the ways in which code switching can be employed in EFL classrooms as a teaching and learning tool to boost learning speed and understanding of the language students. The objectives of the study were achieved by carrying out a mix of qualitative and qualitative research methodologies. A sample of thirty teachers and thirty students (male and female in both cases) was taken from a Rawalpindi based university and college. Questionnaires were designed to collect data, from students and teachers, containing both open and closed-ended questions. The analysis of responses revealed that a limited, deliberate and controlled use of code-switching in EFL classrooms benefits both teachers and learners as it considerably supports the pedagogical process and boosts EFL students’ succes

Construction of Brand Identity through Language in the Video Advertisements of Pakistani Telecom Companies

This research explored the construction of brand identity in the video advertisements of Pakistani telecom companies. Brand identity is constructed mainly by showing competitor’s submissive and weaker image rather than by using creative and unique advertising techniques. Data for this research was collected from five advertisements of five telecom companies. Positioning theory was applied on these advertisements. The data showed that all cellular companies of Pakistan were using positioning techniques to make their advertisements and construct the language of their ads to communicate with the society at large. The cellular companies have engaged in such kind of social communication due to the competition in the market of cellular services. This type of positioning in the language of advertisements is helpful in the conflicting and competitive business environment and explicitly or implicitly promotes competition. The research found that the cellular companies are using second order acknowledgement status and putting competitors in the third order status in their advertisements. The study found that Ufone is the company using this language technique mostly in its advertisements

An Empirical Study on the Effect of Perceived Usefulness and Ease of Use on Purchase Intention Through Mobile Devices in Pakistan: A Mediating Role of Online Trust

In Pakistan, electronic commerce market is in developing phase, and people are not much familiar with technology. Customers feel fear for providing debit/credit card information to online retailers. This research proposes a theoretical model in which online trust is used as a mediator among perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and intention to purchase through mobile devices. In this study Smartphone, cellular phones and tablets with internet connection conceived as mobile devices. Data were collected through questionnaire from the students and employees of different universities in Pakistan and analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. Results suggest that PEOU have an insignificant effect while PU has a positive effect on online trust and purchase intention through mobile devices. Also, online trust does not mediate between PEOU and purchase Intention through mobile devices while it partially mediates between PU and purchase intention through mobile devices. Keywords: Electronic Commerce, Online trust, Intention to purchase through mobile devices, Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness

Glioblastoma multiforme involving conus medullaris in a child

Primary spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme involving the conus medullaris is an uncommon entity with poor outcomes. An aggressive multimodality treatment approach has been used, but prognosis remains same. There are no guidelines for the treatment of patients with spinal glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We highlight the case of a child diagnosed with conal GBM. He was treated with definitive surgery followed by adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation. After completion of treatment, he showed a temporary symptomatic improvement, but later on his condition deteriorated. We elaborate the stepwise treatment approach employed in this patient

Unravelling Consumer Preferences and Segments: Implications for Pakistan’s Mandarin Industry Development through Market Relocation

peer reviewedRising food security and safety concerns in developing countries have highlighted the importance of establishing efficient and dependable food distribution systems, which necessitate a thorough understanding of consumers and their needs. Thus, this study unravels consumer segments, their preferences, and socio-economic composition so that stakeholders in Pakistan’s mandarin (locally known as Kinnow) industry can improve their practices and supply consumers’ desired quality. Primary data were collected through an intercept survey of 540 mandarin consumers in four major cities of Pakistan. Collected data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis, Mean ANOVA, and Post-Hoc tests for consumer segmentation and profiling. The study classified consumers into three groups: ‘value seekers’ (45.74%), ‘Kinnow lovers’ (26.85%), and ‘perfectionists’ (27.41%) related to their choice of various attributes of fresh mandarin fruits. The three segments significantly differed in their preferences for quality attributes, consumption and purchase preferences, and socio-economic composition. The study highlights the implications of understanding consumer preferences and market segmentation for private and public stakeholders in the mandarin industry. The existence of consumer segments with distinct quality preferences urges value chain actors to upgrade and align their practices with consumer requirements. The study findings provide insights for deciding relevant crop/cultivar mix with due consideration to geographically distinct consumer segments and land suitability. The findings may also be useful to relevant public-sector institutions in developing policies and programs for the development of the horticultural industries in Pakistan