Pakistan's trade deficit narrowed sharply by 19.69% month-on-month (MoM) to $3.17bn in August 2026, compared to $3.95bn in July 2026, as both exports and imports declined during the month, with imports falling at a steeper pace, according to provisional data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, however, the trade deficit expanded by 10.38% from $2.
The SCRA balance increased by Rs603.32 million during the week ending Aug 28, 2026 to close at Rs27.11bn. According to data published by the SBP, the week marked a net buying of securities to the tune of Rs6.82bn. During the week SCRA received a total inflow of Rs24.63bn through remittances, sale of securities and dividends. Inward remittances amount was Rs13.52bn, sale of securities were re
Pakistan faces an existential crisis where true economic transformation hinges entirely on trade growth, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday, declaring that debt-driven stabilisation offers false security and that expanding exports is the country's only sustainable path forward. "Stabilisation will only be true stabilisation when it is not on the back of debt. Only exports can give u
Cotton arrivals across the country reached 1.696 million bales by the end of August, marking a 27% rise over supply of 1.336 million bales from farms during the same period of last year, according to figures released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Thursday. Data showed that arrivals climbed by 360,819 bales year-on-year, with both major producing provinces posting gains. P
Pakistan's trade deficit jumped 18% to $7.1 billion during the first two months of the fiscal year, as exports grew at half the rate of imports – an amount that is more than double of the expensive $3 billion debt Pakistan raised on Thursday from international capital markets at a profit rate of 7.9% to 8.25% for five and a half to 10 years. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS),