Overview
- The State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee kept the policy rate unchanged at 11.5 percent, signaling a continued steady monetary stance to balance inflation control and growth.
- The Pakistani rupee showed only marginal moves, trading around PKR 278.22–278.25 in the inter-bank market with reported open-market rates near PKR 278.9/279.5 on June 22, 2026.
- Official data show SBP foreign-exchange reserves rose to USD 17.221 billion for the week ended June 12 and combined liquid reserves including commercial banks stood at USD 22.742 billion.
- Pakistan posted a reported current-account surplus of USD 459 million in May 2026, and the Asian Development Bank approved a USD 700 million policy-based loan to support insurance-sector reforms aimed at strengthening disaster and household financial protection.
- Market commentary links recent dollar strength to renewed U.S.-Iran diplomatic uncertainty and Strait of Hormuz reports, a dynamic that could raise costs for importers, feed into inflation, and test investor confidence if volatility increases.