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Monetary policy: SBP holds interest rate at 22%

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1 year ago

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In line with market expectations, MCP leaves benchmark interest rate unchanged for the next one and half month.

  • MPC’s decision is in line with market expectations.
  • Interest rate unchanged for next one-and-half month.
  • MPC says inflation rose in September 2023 as expected.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Monday decided to hold the key policy rate at 22%, in line with the market expectations, with the next announcement on December 12.

In a statement, the central bank said: “At its meeting today, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to maintain the policy rate at 22 percent.”

The committee noted that headline inflation rose in September 2023 (31.4%) as expected — a major factor in determining the key policy rate.

However, the SBP said, it is projected to decline in October and then maintain a downward trajectory, especially in the second half of the fiscal year.

The MPC expects inflation to decline significantly in October due to downward adjustments in fuel prices, easing prices of some major food commodities, and a favorable base effect. 

“The Committee also reaffirmed its earlier assessment that inflation will decline substantially from the second half of FY24, barring any major adverse developments,” it added.

The central bank acknowledged that the recent volatility in global oil prices as well as the increase in gas tariffs from November pose some risks to the FY24 outlook for inflation and the current account.

“The committee also noted some offsetting factors: These include the targeted fiscal consolidation in Q1; improvement in market availability of key commodities; and the alignment of interbank and open market exchange rates.”

The MPC noted four key developments since its September meeting —

  • The initial estimates for Kharif crops are encouraging and will have positive effects on other key sectors of the economy.
  • Second, the current account deficit narrowed considerably in August and September, which helped to stabilise the SBP’s FX reserves position amidst tepid external financing in these two months.
  • Fiscal consolidation remained on track, with both fiscal and primary balances improving during Q1-FY24.
  • While core inflation remains sticky, inflation expectations of both consumers and businesses improved in the latest pulse surveys.

The SBP said that in light of these developments, the MPC emphasised on continuing with the tight monetary policy stance.

The MPC, the statement mentioned, reiterated its earlier view that the real policy rate is significantly positive on a 12-month forward-looking basis and is appropriate to bring inflation down to the medium-term target of 5 – 7 percent by the end of FY25.

“However, the MPC noted that this outlook is based on continued fiscal consolidation and timely realization of planned external inflows,” the central bank’s statement added.

Since the last MPC meeting on September 14, when the interest rate was kept unchanged, several developments have taken place — the appreciation of rupee, decrease in petrol prices, expected inflation, decrease in the current account deficit and forex reserves.

Head of Equities at Intermarket Securities Raza Jafri told Geo.tv that the SBP was unlikely to rock the boat on the cusp of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) review and has unsurprisingly kept the policy rate unchanged at 22%.

However, he said, it does seem to be setting up grounds for interest rate cuts going forward, especially if the IMF review is successful and international oil prices remain under control.

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Dar chairs the CCOP meeting; Blue World’s bid offer of Rs.10 billion is rejected.

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2 days ago

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The Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet Committee on Privatization meeting.

Other committee members who attended the conference included the Federal Secretaries of several Divisions, the Ministers of Finance and Revenue, Industry and Food, Commerce, Power, and Privatization.

The CCOP took the PC Board’s recommendation into consideration and suggested that Blue World’s bid of 10 billion rupees for the sale of 60% of PIACL’s shares be rejected. The bid was rejected by the CCOP, who chose to follow the PC Board’s advice.

The government’s determination to sell out PIACL through government-to-government or privatization was reaffirmed by the CCOP.

The CCOP was pleased with the Aviation Division’s evaluation of PIACL’s sound financial standing.

Additionally, the CCOP established a committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Finance, to assess potential transaction possibilities for the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel and the appropriate modes of adoption in light of existing legal rules.

Prior to its subsequent meeting, the CCOP also ordered that all difficulties be resolved and an agreement for the selling of services to an international hotel be concluded.

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The KSE-100 Index has surged by 790 points, resulting in an all-time peak for the stock exchange.

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2 days ago

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The benchmark KSE-100 Index increased by 790 points, marking a new all-time high for the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) at 94,982 points.

The record-breaking performance underscores a surge of optimism and investor confidence in the stock market.

As investors responded to favorable economic signals, the market experienced a significant increase of over 500 points in early trading. Later, the KSE-100 Index reached another record level of 94,786 points after adding 594 points to its upward trajectory.

This positive development comes as the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign exchange reserves saw an increase of $84 million, reaching $11.26 billion during the week ending November 8, according to data released by the central bank on Thursday.

This represents an increase of 0.75% from the previous week. In addition, the nation’s total liquid foreign reserves experienced a modest increase, increasing by $33.7 million or 0.21% week-on-week to $15.97 billion.

In contrast, commercial banks’ reserves experienced a decline of $50.3 million or 1.06%, ultimately settling at $4.71 billion.

Furthermore, the economic team of Pakistan has expressed confidence in the discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik, in an exclusive conversation with Samaa TV, claimed talks were moving in a positive direction.

Highlighting improvements in Pakistan’s economic conditions, Malik noted substantial progress over the past six months to a year. He emphasized that Pakistan’s current economic situation has seen significant enhancement, with a reduced current account deficit of only $100 million in the first quarter, a reflection of the government’s strategy to increase remittances and boost exports.

Malik shared that discussions with the IMF are primarily focused on external financing, and while there have been speculations about a potential mini-budget or an increase in the petroleum levy, he clarified that these are currently premature considerations.

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Positive IMF negotiations propel KSE-100 Index above 94,000 points

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3 days ago

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As a result of investors’ optimism about the reported progress in the continuing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a robust surge.

The benchmark KSE-100 Index of the PSX, which tracks market sentiment, rose 713 points to a new record high of 94,068 points, breaking above the 94,000-point barrier, as the trading session began.

Early in the day, the stock market began its upward trajectory as the KSE-100 Index steadily rose, gaining 574 points to reach 93,932 points. A possible agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) might lead to more fiscal stability and back Pakistan’s economic reforms, which is why investors are so optimistic about the country’s future.

Officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday that the government would not be introducing a mini-budget and would instead continue to aim to collect Rs12,970 billion in taxes each year.

In line with continuing discussions with the Fund, FBR sources revealed that petroleum goods will not be subject to the General Sales Tax (GST).

The fact that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio has increased from 8.8% to 10.3%, a 1.5% gain viewed as a favorable sign of Pakistan’s fiscal policies, has reportedly pleased the IMF, who has voiced satisfaction at Pakistan’s recent economic performance.

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