Financial information literacy helps to manage earnings, especially among those students who study non-commerce subjects. Thus, this study attempts to explore the differences in such literacy through their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. A well-structured instrument was used to gather data from 382 non-commerce students in universities in Pakistan using a multi stage sampling technique. Analyses were conducted through percentage of correct response technique and group comparisons. The findings indicate an average level of financial knowledge among university students. The demographic differences reveal that most of the students are male, graduate, with age above 26, enrolled in a private university, residing in dormitories, and score higher in academic subjects are more financially literate. While the socioeconomic differences indicate that those students who follow family advice, study minor finance courses, maintain a bank account, and have higher parental income are more knowledgeable about finance. The study recommends arranging awareness sessions to impart financial knowledge to students.

No abstract

Microfinance aims at providing productive loans to deprived segments of society that helps in poverty eradication. Existing studies ignore some essential factors of business environment, which can influence the performance of microfinance institutions. We have collected data from the Doing Business project of the World Bank and audited financial statements of 52 Asian non-banking microfinance institutions for the period of 2012–2016. This study has employed system method of moments (GMM) technique with xtabond2 command, and the findings of analyses reveal the significant impact of different business environmental factors such as getting credit, protecting minor investors and paying taxes on financial performance of selected institutions. These findings recommend that practitioners need to pay particular attention to the formulation of such policies that can help these institutions in coping better with their external business environment.

Investment decisions could be affected by behavioral biases associated with personal characteristics. This study empirically investigates the effect of personal characteristics on investors’ investment decision through risk tolerance. Furthermore, investment experience moderates the nexus between personal characteristics and risk tolerance. The scale consisting of 24 items was used related to selected constructs and variables. Data was collected form 175 individual investors of Pakistan Stock Exchange. PLS-SEM was used to make statistical analysis. The findings indicate that extraversion has substantial positive impact on investment decisions. Moreover, risk tolerance partially mediates the relationship between extroversion and investment decisions. The relationship between introversion and investment decisions is negative and risk tolerance partially mediates the aforesaid relationship. Furthermore, it is statistically proved that investment experience substantially moderates the association between extraversion and risk tolerance. However, investment experience does not play any conditional role in the association between introversion and risk tolerance. This study can be helpful for financial advisors to provide best consultancy to their clients (investors), while considering their personal characteristics.

Objective: To find out frequency of agenesis of palmaris longus (PL) of medical students of Faisalabad.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st to 31st October 2019 at the anatomy department of a private medical college of Faisalabad. Two hundred and two medical students of age ranging from 18-22 years were evaluated for agenesis of PL by standard Schaeffer’s test. Findings were confirmed by Thompson’s test, Pushpakumar’s “two-finger sign” method, Mishra’s test I, and Mishra’s II test. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 21. Frequencies and percentages for PL agenesis were obtained and compared by chi square test. p value ? 0.05 was considered to be significant.Results: The PL muscle was present in 155 students (76.3%). The frequency of agenesis was noted in 47 students (23.6%). Bilateral agenesis was seen in 16 students (7.9%) while 31 subjects (15 %) had unilateral agenesis.Twenty-nine (29.5%) male students had agenesis of palmaris longus. Out of which bilateral and unilateral agenesis found in 7 (6.8%) and 22 (21%) male students respectively. In comparison to this 18 (17.3%) female students had agenesis of palmaris longus. Out of which bilateral and unilateral agenesis found in 9(8.6%) and 9(8.6%) female students respectively.Conclusion: Unilateral agenesis of PL is more common than bilateral agenesis. Agenesis of PL is more frequent in males as compared to females. '