SBP-held foreign exchange reserves rise $33m to $21.52bn

State Bank of Pakistan foreign currency holdings advanced by $33 million in the week to October 23, reaching $21.522 billion, Business Recorder reported on Thursday, citing central bank figures. The SBP’s published amount was $21,521.7 million, which rounds to the reported total. The weekly change indicates a modest increase in the central bank’s reserve position.

Pakistan’s overall liquid reserves, however, eased to $26.75 billion from $26.797 billion a week earlier. Commercial banks accounted for $5.233 billion of the total at the end of the review period, while the SBP held the balance. In the previous update cited in the report, SBP reserves had climbed by $15 million to $21.454 billion for the week ended October 2.