Overview
- The government revised profit rates for eight national-savings instruments, raising returns across most products while leaving Defence Savings Certificate and Behbood Savings Certificate unchanged.
- Special Savings Certificate and Special Savings Account saw the largest hikes, up 220 basis points for the first five half-year periods to 11.60% and up 200 basis points for the final half-year period to 12.40%.
- The Regular Income Certificate, a popular monthly-income product for pensioners, was increased from 9.96% to 11.82%, which will raise regular payouts for holders.
- The Savings Bank Account rate rose by 100 basis points to 10%, and Sarwa Islamic (Sharia-compliant) products received smaller, targeted increases than conventional schemes.
- Officials link the changes to the central bank's earlier interest-rate rise and say higher returns should attract retail investors, help income-reliant households cope with rising prices, and support domestic resource mobilization.