January 15, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 24, 1427

According to the Statement of Affairs of the State Bank of Pakistan, for the week ended July 2-December 30, 2006, both notes in circulation and those issued increased in the week.

Notes in circulation stood at Rs917,808.920 million against earlier week’s figure of Rs884,855.438 million, a rise of Rs32,953.482 million. When compared to the corresponding week a year ago when it was Rs769,617.476 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs148,191.444 million.

Total notes issued also rose in the current week over preceding week’s level. At Rs917,949.859 million it was larger by Rs32,891.514 million over the figure of Rs885,058.345 million recorded a week earlier. In the corresponding week last year it amounted to Rs769,774.119 million, which shows current week’s figure to be higher by Rs148,175.740 million over last year’s corresponding figure.

Approved foreign exchange increased in the week to Rs549,364.900 million or by Rs8,751.438 million over preceding week’s figure of Rs540,613.462 million. When compared to the corresponding week a year ago, when the figure was Rs414,829.250 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs134,535.650 million.

Balances held outside Pakistan in approved foreign exchange declined in the week under review. It stood at Rs128,433.716 million over preceding week’s figure of Rs130,155.564 million, a fall of Rs1,721.848 million. Compared to last year’s corresponding figure of Rs167,964.781 million, the current week’s figure is smaller by Rs39,531.065 million.

Loans and advances of scheduled banks to the three sectors – agricultural, industrial and export showed a mixed trend in the week under review. The agricultural sector received Rs63,183.528 million, larger by Rs0.743 million over preceding week’s figure of Rs63,182.785 million. The current week’s figure is smaller by Rs444.112 million over last year’s corresponding figure of Rs63,627.640 million.

There was an inflow of Rs41,382.455 million to the industrial sector during the week under review, a rise of Rs9,974.523 million against preceding week’s figure of Rs31,407.932 million. When compared to last year’s corresponding figure of Rs3,066.946 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs38,315.509 million.

The export sector received Rs131,733.608 million against previous week’s figure of Rs129,459.207 million, a rise of Rs2,274.401 million. Current week’s figure was larger by Rs25,347.289 million over last year’s corresponding figure of Rs106,386.319 million.

According to the weekly statement of position of all scheduled banks for the week ended December 30, 2006, deposits and other accounts of the scheduled banks stood at Rs2,999.895 billion, higher by Rs53.418 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs2,946.477 billon. Commercial banks deposits showed an increase of Rs52.756 billion over the week to Rs2,987.217 billion, against preceding week’s Rs2,934.461 billion, while of specialized banks it rose by Rs0.663 billion to Rs12.678 billion, over previous week’s Rs12.015 billion.

Borrowings by all scheduled banks increased during the week over preceding week’s figure. It rose to Rs420.080 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs409.391 billion, a rise of Rs10.689 billion. This was primarily due to an increase in the borrowings by commercial banks, which rose to Rs330.758 billion against previous week’s Rs320.719 billion, or by Rs10.039 billion, while borrowings by specialised banks stood at Rs89.322 billion, against preceding week’s figure of Rs88.672.

Gross advances stood at Rs2,409.478 billion in the week under review, a rise of Rs64.868 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs2,344.610 billion. Advances by commercial banks increased to Rs2,315.888 billion against earlier week’s figure of Rs2,250.313 billion, higher by Rs65.575 billion, while of specialized banks it stood at Rs93.590 billion against preceding week’s Rs94.298 billion, showing a decline of Rs0.708 billion.

Investments of all scheduled banks decreased in the week by Rs1.991 billion to Rs775.546 billion against preceding week’s figure of Rs777.537 billion. Commercial banks investment rose to Rs762.656 billion, from earlier week’s Rs761.656 billion, higher by Rs1.000 billion, while of specialized banks it stood at Rs12.889 billion against previous week’s Rs11.881 billion, higher by Rs1.008 billion.

Cash and balances with treasury banks of all scheduled banks increased by Rs11.493 billion during the week to stand at Rs332.452 billion against earlier week’s Rs320.959 billion. The figure for commercial banks also rose to Rs329.977 billion against preceding week’s figure of Rs318.675 billion, a rise of Rs11.302 billion. For specialized banks there was a rise of Rs0.191 billion to Rs2.476 billion, against earlier week’s figure of Rs2.285 billion.

Total assets of scheduled banks stood at Rs4,056.246 billion, higher by Rs100.573 billion, over preceding week’s figure of Rs3,955.673 billion. Meanwhile, commercial banks assets stood at Rs3,937.632 billion, larger by Rs99.366 billion over previous week’s figure of Rs3,838.266 billion. Specialized banks assets rose by Rs1.208 billion to Rs118.615 billion against previous week’s Rs117.407 billion.