Tag: usd pkr

  • Pakistani rupee closes week strong at Rs282.53 against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee closes week strong at Rs282.53 against US dollar

    In a trend marking its ninth consecutive session, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) demonstrated resilience against the US dollar (USD) by registering a 0.09 per cent appreciation in the inter-bank market on Friday.

    Closing the week at Rs282.53, the currency saw an increase of Rs0.26, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

    This positive momentum follows a marginal gain on Thursday, settling at Rs282.79 against the US dollar.

    Simultaneously, the foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan experienced a decline, falling below the $7 billion mark.

    A notable decrease of $136 million, attributed to debt repayments during the week ending December 15, 2023, brought the reserves to $6.904 billion.

    On the international front, the US dollar found itself near a more than four-month low on Friday, anticipating a key US inflation gauge reading scheduled for later in the day.

    This data is expected to provide clarity on the Federal Reserve’s room to manoeuvre in terms of interest rate cuts in the coming year.

    Early Asia trade witnessed the greenback hitting a five-month trough against the New Zealand dollar and a three-week low against the euro.

    This decline resumed after a sudden risk-aversion episode in New York hours on Wednesday triggered a sell-off in US stocks, leading to a rise in the dollar.

    Against a basket of currencies, the greenback hovered around 101.76, remaining close to the previous session’s more than four-month low of 101.72.

     The dollar index seemed poised for a weekly loss of about 0.8 per cent, extending the previous week’s 1.3 per cent decline.

    The Federal Reserve’s decision to leave the door open to potential rate cuts in the next year, as indicated in its last policy meeting for 2023, contributed to the ongoing downward pressure on the US dollar.

    This market movement has implications for various currency pairs, including the Pakistani rupee to US dollar exchange rate, which continues to be of interest to investors tracking global economic trends.

  • Pakistani banks start charging dollar transactions at open market rates

    Pakistani banks start charging dollar transactions at open market rates

    Pakistani banks have announced that they will settle debit and credit card transactions made with foreign retailers and websites at the open market exchange rate for the US dollar.

    The conversion rate for the transactions would be calculated by the open market rate in place at the time, which might not match the rate listed on the foreign merchant’s website.

    Customers were advised by the banks in a statement that they could only settle debit or credit card purchases with foreign retailers or websites by buying dollars on the open market. As a result, the conversion rate for these transactions will be determined by the current open market rate.

    The statement, according to bankers, was made in response to several client concerns over the increased exchange rate.

    On Friday, the Pakistani rupee lost Rs0.02 to the US dollar in the interbank market, continuing its downward trajectory.

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported that the exchange rate of the local currency for the dollar was Rs227.12. Which shows a 0.01 per cent decline from the close of Rs227.12 on Thursday.

    According to SBP, the Pakistani rupee is valued at Rs227–228 against the dollar. However, in the open market, the greenback is priced above Rs250 and goes as high as Rs275.

  • Pakistan rupee appreciates Rs9.58 against US dollar, closes at Rs228.8

    Pakistan rupee appreciates Rs9.58 against US dollar, closes at Rs228.8

    The US dollar dropped Rs9.58 during Wednesday’s session, closing at Rs228.80 versus the rupee, down from Rs238.38 at Tuesday’s interbank close.

    On the other hand, the greenback depreciated Rs14.50 in the open market, closing at Rs226, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan.

    Following comments from an IMF official that Pakistan has met its final requirement by raising the tax on fuel prices on July 31, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday also experienced a bullish trend as the KSE-100 index rose 1016 points.

    The KSE-100 index increased by 1016 points to trade at 41,208. Experts claim that the rupee’s progressive strengthening was also responsible for the market’s increased confidence.

    Pakistan had raised the petroleum development levy (PDL), according to Esther Perez Ruiz, the IMF’s resident representative in Islamabad, completing the final previous action needed for the Fund’s combined seventh and eighth assessment.

    “With the increase in PDL on July 31, the last prior action for the combined seventh and eighth review has been met. The [Executive Board] meeting is tentatively planned for late August once adequate financing assurances are confirmed,” she said in a statement.

    Read more: Intraday trade: US dollar sheds Rs7.38 against Pakistani rupee

    The $6 billion agreement, known as the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), was signed by Pakistan and the IMF in 2019.

    However, since the IMF voiced concerns about Pakistan’s adherence to the agreement early this year, the disbursement of the combined seventh and eighth tranche has been put on hold.