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Pakistan’s net international reserves stand at negative $4b

cricketrulez

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https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk...t-negative-4b-excluding-imf-debt-obligations/

ISLAMABAD: Figures released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday have revealed that the country’s balance of payment crisis isn’t over since its net international reserves are negative $4 billion even after eliminating IMF debt obligations.

The figures released by the central bank show up to one-year obligations of the central bank surpass its gross official foreign currency reserves by around $4 billion, reports Express Tribune.

Last week, the gross official reserves of SBP were recorded at $8.2 billion against its short-term liabilities which stand around $12.2 billion.

SBP’s gross official reserves are mostly retained by contracting short-term loans from commercial banks and taking Chinese and Saudi deposits under currency swap arrangements.


Till September 2018, SBP had obtained $7.22 billion from commercial banks in the aegis of forward and currency swap arrangements.

Also, SBP needs to return $1.5 billion within a month, $3.2 billion within three months and a remainder of $2.6 billion in a years’ time, official data reveals.

Swap deals reached with commercial banks are in the range of 2.5% to 4% interest rates, as per banking sector sources.

Moreover, the central bank owes $1 billion to Saudi Arabia, $3 billion to China and $700 million to various lenders, said sources.

And approximately $453 million are repayable to the IMF in current FY19, which will directly be deducted from SBP’s reserves.

As per the IMF’s definition of Net International Reserves, SBP’s reserves would stand at -$9.7 billion after inclusion of its overall $6 billion obligations.

However, the IMF’s repayments are to be done over a period of coming five years, hence, all the amount cannot be eliminated against the short-term liabilities of SBP.
 
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However, the IMF’s repayments are to be done over a period of coming five years, hence, all the amount cannot be eliminated against the short-term liabilities of SBP.

Therefore, the article is total BS.
 
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Therefore, the article is total BS.

Read this sentence just before the line you quoted.

As per the IMF’s definition of Net International Reserves, SBP’s reserves would stand at -$9.7 billion after inclusion of its overall $6 billion obligations.

Which followed by what you quoted

However, the IMF’s repayments are to be done over a period of coming five years, hence, all the amount cannot be eliminated against the short-term liabilities of SBP.

Sounds like -$4b is pretty close to the mark. I'm happy to learn if I'm wrong.
 
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This is very sad and very bad. :(

Oh please give the new team some time to fix things.

Read this sentence just before the line you quoted.

As per the IMF’s definition of Net International Reserves, SBP’s reserves would stand at -$9.7 billion after inclusion of its overall $6 billion obligations.

Which followed by what you quoted

However, the IMF’s repayments are to be done over a period of coming five years, hence, all the amount cannot be eliminated against the short-term liabilities of SBP.

Sounds like -$4b is pretty close to the mark. I'm happy to learn if I'm wrong.

Please see the above.
 
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I don't get it; where the heck did all the forex go? What about the billions that Pakistan receives from its own emigrant population to the Gulf? That should be a significant amount of forex.

One question here; why is it that this problem didn't exist until last year and all of a sudden all the reserves are showing red?
 
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Terrible situation. No wonder why the rupee is fast heading towards 200 mark.

This joker of a finance minister had no plans even when it was known that he would be new finance minister. He seemed so confused soon after taking charge.
 
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I don't get it; where the heck did all the forex go? What about the billions that Pakistan receives from its own emigrant population to the Gulf? That should be a significant amount of forex

Pakistan exports slightly above 23 billion usd, while awaam want everything imported which is why the imports are almost 50 billion. Overseas Pakistanis send little above 21 billion as remits so still 23 plus 21 is equal to 44 billions which roughly translates into losing 6 billions a year. On top of this, loan repayments. So that 6 billion plus loan repayments are screwing the rupee which is why rupee is fast going downwards.

Terrible situation indeed.
 
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The other reason is that FDI levels are very low. If we are lucky we get $2bn FDI a year. I don't know why the CPEC money doesn't show up in FDI figures.
 
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