KARACHI: The rupee remained largely stable against the US dollar for another week, keeping its position around the 277-279 mark where it has traded for a number of months.
The domestic currency settled at 278.40 against the greenback, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), only marginally lower than 278.38 where it had closed the week earlier.
In a key development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday that it had reached a staff level agreement (SLA) with Pakistan for a $7-billion, 37-month loan programme aimed at cementing stability and inclusive growth.
The IMF said the new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) was subject to approval by its Executive Board and obtain “timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.”
This would include rollovers or disbursements on loans from Pakistan’s long-time allies Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and China.
The IMF announcement is expected to leave some positive impact in the currency market that has been in search of fresh triggers for months.
Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank increased by $16 million on a weekly basis, clocking in at $9.4 billion as of July 5, SBP data showed.
Open-market rates
In the open market, the PKR lost 40 paise for buying and remained unchanged for selling against USD, closing at 279.05 and 280.50, respectively.
Against Euro, the PKR lost 2.16 rupees for buying and 2.19 rupees for selling, closing at 301.40 and 304.29, respectively.
Against UAE Dirham, the PKR lost 23 paise for buying and 21 paise for selling, closing at 75.61 and 76.34, respectively.
Against Saudi Riyal, the PKR lost 21 paise for buying and 22 paise for selling, closing at 73.85 and 74.55, respectively.
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THE RUPEE
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Weekly inter-bank market rates for dollar
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Bid Close Rs. 278.40
Offer Close Rs. 278.60
Bid Open Rs. 278.38
Offer Open Rs. 278.58
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Weekly open-market rates for dollar
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Bid Close Rs. 279.05
Offer Close Rs. 280.50
Bid Open Rs. 278.65
Offer Open Rs. 280.50
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Copyright Business Recorder, 2024