Summary Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves increase by $104 million, with SBP and commercial bank holdings rising, signalling modest improvement in external position and financial stability outlook.
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan’s total foreign exchange reserves increased by $104 million over the past week, according to fresh data released by the State Bank of Pakistan.
The central bank reported that official reserves held by the SBP rose by $18 million, taking the total to $15.0976 billion as of April 17. The increase reflects a modest improvement in the country’s external liquidity position.
Meanwhile, reserves held by commercial banks also posted a notable rise. According to the SBP, commercial bank holdings grew by $86 million, reaching $5.53 billion during the same period.
Overall, the combined foreign exchange reserves of the country — including both the central bank and commercial banks — recorded a weekly increase of $104 million.
Foreign exchange reserves refer to assets held by a country in foreign currencies, which are used to support the national currency, meet international payment obligations and maintain financial stability. A rise in reserves is generally viewed as a positive signal, indicating improved capacity to manage external shocks and import payments.
Economists note that while the increase is relatively modest, it reflects stability in inflows and controlled outflows, which are critical for maintaining investor confidence. Sustained growth in reserves can also help stabilise the exchange rate and strengthen Pakistan’s economic outlook.
The latest figures suggest that both public and private sector reserves contributed to the overall improvement, with commercial banks playing a significant role in the weekly increase.
However, analysts caution that maintaining and building reserves remains a key challenge, particularly amid global economic uncertainties and external financing requirements.
The SBP continues to monitor developments closely, as foreign exchange reserves remain a crucial indicator of the country’s financial health and economic resilience.
