KARACHI – August 19, 2026: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Mark-to-Market Revaluation (M2M) exchange rates show the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) depreciating against the US Dollar (USD) for the first time in weeks after staying largely flat during much of the month.
The US dollar finished trading at 277.6036 in the ready market after holding at 277.6522 on August 13 – a difference of around five paisa for the rupee against its US counterpart. The Saudi Riyal finished at 73.9389, firmer after trading at 73.9499, while the UAE Dirham finished at 75.5857, stronger from its 75.5989 position on August 13.
However, the Canadian Dollar (CAD) moved sharply up at 200.0963 from 199.0125 – a greater than one paisa increase that lifted it beyond the psychological mark of 200 for the first time since mid-July.
Similarly, the British Pound (GBP) depreciated to 376.2500 from 374.2613 a gain of nearly two Pais that could put pressure on families exposed to the UK currency.
Beyond the daily trading rates, a glance at the forward curve continues to imply a gradual trend of rupee depreciation against many major currencies. The one-month dollar forward now stands at 279.3551 suggesting the market anticipate a depreciation of around 75 paisas over the next thirty days. Further out along the curve, the three-month forward at 281.9640 and the six-month forward at 284.6189 trace a steady upward slope seen since early July.
Looking into 2026, the one-year forward at 292.0418 points towards an annual depreciation of approximately 5.2 percent, measured from current spot levels.
This figure, relative to previous measurements for the one year, remained unchanged, confirming a stable but consistent view within the market of steady but managed erosion of the local currency rather than an impending crisis.
For families funding university degrees in the UK, medical care, or a growing list of imports – the recent move in the British Pound poses a new problem. The GBP has given back its brief August dip of about two and a half paisa per pound against the rupee and looks set to test 377. A year out, the forward implies a significant annual erosion of the local unit, estimated at nearly 5.1 percent versus sterling.
Thus, even if only modest amounts are spent per annum on tuition to one of the UK’s 93 universities (for an estimated 26,000 students in total), each additional paisa the Pound gains against the Pakistani Rupee makes that payment a significant hit.
The current exchange rate means 15,000 annually to the UK will cost Rs 5.64 million over a dozen years– nearly a third of a million Pakistanis.
A stronger CAD means steeper invoices for the Pakistani importer buying Canadian goods like pulses and agricultural machinery. In recent months CAD has become a key issue for import driven businesses. Currently, the Canadians Dollar has crossed the Psychological Barrier of ‘200 ’; at an August high of around 200.10 this represents the highest for this crossed in seven weeks.
The one-year CAD forward rate further strengthens the expectation of continued demand from Pakistan which has remained robust due to lower CAD price historically and could contribute to keeping pressure on Pakistan’s import costs of Canadian commodities.
Pakistani businesses that source most of their agricultural machinery and pulses should carefully examine this crossed going forward.
The stronger Swiss Franc of 342.3823 , Australian Dollar of 196.5433, Singapore Dollar of 217.4469, and Kuwaiti Dinar of 903.8047 largely reflects the external economic strengths or weak of these countries .
Turkish Lira( TRY) now trades at 5.7909 against the USD a pace higher to PakistaniRupee , thus reducing competitiveness of its own Textile exporters to this market as Turkish exports are cheaper than their Pakistani Counterparts since Turkish Lira depreciated against USD. Indian Rupee (INR) trades at 2.8990, whereas Chinese Yen (CNY) trades at 41.1988. Given that ChineseYen’s one yearforwardat 44.5199 is higher than the Spot indicates the likely upward adjustment required from Pakistan in itsimport expenses on items sourced from China.