Current account posts $324m deficit in April

May 18, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan's current account swung to a deficit of $324m in April 2026, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), from a surplus of $1.13bn recorded in March 2026.

The April figure deepened sharply compared with a deficit of just $12m in April 2025.

On a cumulative basis, the current account posted a deficit of $316m in 10MFY26, compared with a surplus of $1.662bn in 10MFY25.

During April, exports of goods stood at $2.56bn, edging up slightly from $2.53bn in March, though down 1.8% from $2.61bn in the same month last year.

Imports of goods surged to $5.97bn from $4.89bn in the previous month, and rose 13.8% year-on-year from $5.25bn. As a result, the trade deficit in goods widened sharply to $3.41bn, compared with $2.37bn in March and $2.64bn in April 2025, a year-on-year deterioration of 29.2%.

Exports of services were broadly flat at $914m versus $911m in March, though up 21.7% from $751m a year ago. Imports of services rose to $890m from $852m in March, but declined from $913m in April 2025. The balance on trade in services narrowed to a surplus of $24m, compared with a surplus of $59m in March, though it represented a marked improvement from a deficit of $162m in April 2025.

Overall, the balance on trade in goods and services deteriorated to a deficit of $3.39bn, compared with $2.31bn in March and $2.80bn in April 2025, a year-on-year widening of 20.9%.

Workers' remittances came in at $3.54bn in April, declining from $3.83bn in March, though up 11.4% compared with $3.18bn in April 2025.

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