October 27, 2019 (MLN): The financial snapshot of the country was brought to light with the economic and financial data releases over the course of the week.

• The Weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the Combined Group increased by 2.36% during the week ended Oct 17, 2019 while the SPI increased by 17.08% compared to the corresponding period from last year.
• The latest SBP data on advances classified by borrowers shows that in the month of September 2019, the bank advances to private sector surged by 7% YoY to an accumulated amount of Rs 6 trillion as compared to the corresponding period last year.
• The non-government sector has borrowed a net sum of Rs.37.11 billion during the week ended October 18, 2019, which brings the cumulative net retirement for ongoing fiscal year FY2020 to Rs.29.11 billion. The net retirement as of prior week was recorded at Rs.66.22 billion.
• The government of Pakistan has retired Rs.16.77 billion during the week ended October 18, 2019, which brings its total net borrowing for ongoing fiscal year 2020 to Rs.225.37 billion. As of prior week, the government had borrowed a net sum of Rs.242.14 billion.
• Government’s efforts to document economy proving fruitful as the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) Tuesday said that prize bonds worth Rs. 40,000 prize had witnessed immense conversion or selling in the last three months.
• Pakistan's Forex Reserves increased by USD 43.90 Million or 0.29% and the total liquid foreign reserves held by the country stood at USD 15,186.50 Million on Oct 18, 2019.
• Foreign investors finally regained some confidence in the local capital markets during the week ended October 18, 2019, as the total purchase of securities exceeded total sales by Rs. 1.8 billion, whereas last week, the accounts observed a net sale of Rs. 1.43 billion.
• The Banking sector spread for September 2019 increased by 27 basis points (bps) over the month which brings its latest value to 6.17% as compared to prior month's spread of 5.9%. Likewise, the spread has increased by 135 bps as compared to the same period last year.
• The overall output of LSMI decreased by 6.04% for July-Aug, 2019-20 compared to July-Aug, 2018-19.
• Total Exports from Pakistan as per Balance of Payment (BOP) during the month of September 2019 amounted to $1.9 billion (provisional), as against $1.89 billion (restated) in August 2019 and the US $1.80 billion during September 2018. This resulted in an increase of 0.89% MoM and 5.87% YoY.
• Pakistan’s exports performance has remained weak over the past few months as it only increased by 2% YoY to $ 6 billion during Jul-Sept 2019, as compared to the corresponding period last year.
• The export of cement during the first quarter of the current financial year (2019-20) witnessed a decline of 13.94 percent as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
• Pakistan’s services exports dropped by 3% YoY during Jul- Sept 2019 to $1.2 billion as against $1.26 billion in the same period last year, according to latest data released by State Bank of Pakistan.
• The overall imports of Petroleum group during 1QFY20 witnessed 16.5% decline as compared to the corresponding period of the last year.
• The gold imports into the country decreased by 3.37 percent during the first quarter of the current fiscal year (2018-19) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
• Tea imports in the country during first three months of current financial year reduced by 31.05% as compared the imports of the corresponding period of last year.
• The imports of commodities within the transport group stood at $217 million during the month of September 2019, signifying an increase of 26.3% over the previous month and decline of 25.3% over the same period of last year.

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