Currency: Rupee remains steady against dollar

KARACHI: The rupee remained steady at 98.3/98.5 against the dollar on Tuesday compared to Monday’s close of 98.3/98.5. Earlier, heavy debt repayments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had dented the central bank’s foreign currency reserves, which declined significantly, putting pressure on the rupee. Pakistan paid the 30th loan instalment of $109 million to the IMF on April 1. However, with a sharp increase in reserves in the past few months, the rupee has appreciated significantly. Earlier this month, Pakistan received $556 million from the IMF under the Extended Fund Facility. According to data provided by the State Bank of Pakistan, overseas workers remitted $15.8 billion in 2013-14, which translates into an increase of 13.7%. They had 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.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2014.

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