Currency : Rupee strengthens against dollar

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee ended stronger at 95.71/76 to the dollar, compared with Wednesday’s close of 95.86/91. The currency has remained under pressure due to debt servicing to the International Monetary Fund (IMF); the country has repayment coming up this month. Pakistan has already repaid $901.4 million of the $7 billion IMF loan in previous three instalments. The country has to pay $3.4 billion in 2012-13, $3.43 billion in 2013-14 and $1.35 billion in 2014-15 to retire IMF’s loan and country’s foreign exchange reserves will continue to face pressure due to the debt servicing in the next three years. Accoriding to reports, a balance of payment crisis was being predicted after March 2013, as country’s forex outflows were likely to remain $1 billion per month, which may force Pakistan to negotiate a fresh IMF programme if pressure is not arrested amid non-materialisation of projected inflows. Overnight rates in the money market ended at 10%, compared to Wednesday’s close 9.90%.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2012.