Currency: Rupee steady against dollar

Heavy debt repayments to the IMF dents the central bank’s reserves, putting pressure on the rupee.

KARACHI: The rupee ended at 105.52/105.57 against the dollar in the interbank market on Monday, compared to Friday’s close of 105.50/105.55. Heavy debt repayments to the IMF have dented the central bank’s reserves, which have declined significantly, putting pressure on the rupee. Fresh repayment of $109 million was made on December 30. Overseas Pakistanis sent home a record $13.92 billion in the previous fiscal year (July 2012-June 2013), a growth of 5.56% or $733.64 million compared with $13.187 billion a year earlier. According to data provided by the State Bank of Pakistan, overseas Pakistanis remitted $5.275 billion between July and October this year. Overnight rates in the money market remained flat at 10.00 percent.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.

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