Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased by $66 million during the week ended May 22, 2026, reflecting a 0.4 percent rise on a week-on-week basis.
The central bank’s latest data showed that the country’s total liquid foreign exchange reserves rose by $58 million to $22.647 billion, compared to $22.589 billion in the previous week.
Reserves held by the SBP increased to $17.147 billion from $17.081 billion a week earlier.
Meanwhile, net foreign exchange reserves held by commercial banks stood at $5.50 billion, slightly down from $5.51 billion in the previous week.
Pakistan’s external position has improved significantly over the past year. SBP-held reserves have increased by $4.42 billion since June 2025, while total liquid reserves have grown by $4.56 billion during the same period.
The latest reserve buildup comes amid continued support from remittance inflows, improved external account management, and foreign exchange purchases by the central bank. Recent data showed that the SBP purchased approximately $8.16 billion from the interbank market between March 2025 and February 2026.
According to Topline Securities, Pakistan’s import cover has also improved to 2.87 months, compared to 2.54 months a year ago, providing a stronger buffer against external shocks.
📢 For the latest Business news and analysis join ProPakistani's WhatsApp Group now!
Follow ProPakistani on Google News & scroll through your favourite content faster!
Shares
