Pakistani Rupee Shows Slight Gain as Dollar Falls to Rs279.15
Islamabad: The Pakistani rupee showed a slight improvement in the interbank market on Tuesday, with the US dollar closing at Rs279.15, marking a decrease of one paisa compared to the previous day and the lowest level recorded in 2026 so far.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the dollar has largely remained within the Rs279 to Rs282 range since October. Market sources indicate that exporters are selling dollars above Rs279.60, while petroleum importers are buying below Rs279.10.
Interbank closing #ExchangeRatefor todayhttps://t.co/ve2x44nZQz#sbpexchangerate pic.twitter.com/xFK5KyNrlz
— SBP (@StateBank_Pak) March 31, 2026
Other Major Currencies
British Pound: Declined to Rs368.75 from Rs369.64
Euro: Rs320.13
Japanese Yen: Rs1.75
Swiss Franc: Rs348.99
Chinese Yuan: Rs40.41
Gulf Currencies
Saudi Riyal: Rs74.40
UAE Dirham: Rs76.01
Qatari Riyal: Rs76.59
Exchange companies reported increased demand for the Saudi riyal ahead of the Umrah season.
Additional Currencies
Kuwaiti Dinar: Rs909.42
Australian Dollar: Rs191.40
Canadian Dollar: Rs200.23
Market Outlook
Experts say the foreign exchange market remains stable, with exchange rate movements driven more by technical factors than fundamental economic changes.
Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have reached $21.26 billion, while the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) stands at 98.2, which the IMF considers competitive.
Analysts believe that if oil prices remain below $90 per barrel and political conditions stay stable, the dollar is likely to trade between Rs278 and Rs282 during the first quarter of 2026.
