SBP reserves rise by $18m to $15.10b

The State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) foreign exchange reserves increased by $18 million during the week ended April 17, 2026, reaching $15.097 billion, according to official data released on Thursday.

Overall, the country's total liquid foreign reserves stood at $20.628 billion. Breakdown shows the SBP-held reserves at $15.097 billion, while the net foreign reserves held by commercial banks amounted to $5.531 billion.

Gold prices in Pakistan declined on Thursday, tracking a downward trend in the international bullion market amid easing geopolitical concerns and shifting expectations around the US labour market. According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association, the price of gold per tola fell by Rs5,200 to settle at Rs493,762. Similarly, the price of 10-gram gold decreased by Rs4,458 to reach Rs423,321. A day earlier, gold had closed at Rs498,962 per tola after a drop of Rs1,200, reflecting volatility in domestic bullion rates.

Silver prices also moved lower in the local market, declining by Rs225 to Rs8,099 per tola, mirroring the broader weakness in precious metals.

In the global market, spot gold slipped 0.3% to $4,722.02 per ounce as of 1552 GMT, after touching an intra-day low of $4,683.84, down nearly 1% earlier in the session. US gold futures for June delivery eased 0.2% to $4,738.50, Reuters reported.

International bullion prices came under pressure as investors reacted to improving risk sentiment following reports that Lebanon was seeking an extension of its ceasefire arrangement with Israel. The development helped ease geopolitical risk premiums that had previously supported gold prices.

At the same time, the US Treasury yields retreated from earlier highs after weekly jobless claims data suggested a modest cooling in the labour market. The data came in better than expected, indicating a gradual easing of employment conditions, which reduced immediate demand for safe-haven assets.

Analysts noted that gold remained sensitive to both geopolitical developments and US macroeconomic indicators, with volatility likely to persist as markets assessed rate expectations and global risk factors.

"What provided bid were signs of a potential breakthrough in the Lebanon ceasefire earlier this morning. But that happened to coincide with the economic data release," said Daniel Ghali, Commodity Strategist at TD Securities.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani rupee posted a marginal gain against the US dollar in the inter-bank market, closing at 278.86, up Rs0.01 from 278.87 a day earlier. Globally, the dollar hovered near one-and-a-half-week high, with the US dollar index at around 98.644 amid mixed overall currency trends in markets.