April 09, 2007	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 20, 1428

ACCORDING to the Statement of Affairs of the State Bank of Pakistan, for the week ended July 2March 24, 2007, both notes in circulation and those issued decreased in the week.

Notes in circulation stood at Rs886,480.143 million against earlier week’s figure of Rs893,535.423 million, a fall of Rs7,055.28 million. When compared to the corresponding week a year ago when it was Rs794,592.677 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs91,887.466 million.

Total notes issued also decreased in the current week over preceding week’s level. At Rs886,658.765 million it was smaller by Rs7,019.957 million over the figure of Rs893,678.722 million recorded a week earlier. In the corresponding week last year it amounted to Rs794,694.902 million, which shows current week’s figure to be higher by Rs91,963.863 million over last year’s corresponding figure.

Approved foreign exchange increased in the week to Rs592,591.369 million or by Rs9,709.406 million over preceding week’s figure of Rs582,881.963 million. When compared to the corresponding week a year ago, when the figure was Rs425,975.804 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs166,615.565 million.

Balances held outside Pakistan in approved foreign exchange further declined in the week under review. It stood at Rs124,896.374 million over preceding week’s figure of Rs130,480.207 million, a fall of Rs5,583.833 million. Compared to last year’s corresponding figure of Rs147,811.222 million, the current week’s figure smaller by Rs22,914.848 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 Rs60,183.528 million, similar to preceding week’s figure. The current week’s figure is smaller by Rs1,517.395 million over last year’s corresponding figure of Rs61,700.923 million.

There was an inflow of Rs41,950.771 million to the industrial sector during the week under review, a rise of Rs337.791 million against preceding week’s figure of Rs41,612.980 million. When compared to last year’s corresponding figure of Rs5,413.729 million, the current week’s figure is higher by Rs36,537.042 million.

The export sector received Rs135,507.685 million against previous week’s figure of Rs134,201.249 million, a rise of Rs1,306.436 million. Current week’s figure was larger by Rs29,413.945 million over last year’s corresponding figure of Rs106,093.740 million.

According to the weekly statement of position of all scheduled banks for the week ended March 24, 2007, deposits and other accounts of the scheduled banks stood at Rs3,105.276 billion, higher by Rs11.88 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs3,093.396 billion. Commercial banks deposits showed a rise of Rs12.851 billion over the week to Rs3,093.862 billion, against preceding week’s Rs3,081.011 billion, while of specialized banks it fell by Rs0.971 billion to Rs11.414 billion, over previous week’s Rs12.385 billion.

Borrowings by all scheduled banks decreased during the week over preceding week’s figure. It fell to Rs385.482 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs400.491 billion, a fall of Rs15.009 billion. This was primarily due to decrease in the borrowings by commercial banks, which fell to Rs301.925 billion against previous week’s Rs316.734 billion, or by Rs14.809 billion, while borrowings by specialised banks stood at Rs83.557 billion, against preceding week’s figure of Rs83.757 billion, showing a fall of Rs0.2 billion.

Gross advances stood at Rs2,358.017 billion in the week under review, a decrease of Rs1.055 billion over preceding week’s figure of Rs2,356.962 billion. Advances by commercial banks increased to Rs2,262.771 billion against earlier week’s figure of Rs2,262.068 billion, or by Rs0.703 billion, while of specialized banks it stood at Rs95.247 billion against preceding week’s Rs94.894 billion, showing a rise of Rs0.353 billion.

Investments of all scheduled banks declined in the week by Rs0.426 billion to Rs932.409 billion against preceding week’s figure of Rs932.835 billion. Commercial banks investment fell to Rs921.808 billion, from earlier week’s Rs921.834 billion, lower by Rs0.026 billion, while of specialized banks it stood at Rs10.602 billion against previous week’s Rs11.001 billion, lower by Rs0.399 billion.

Cash and balances with treasury banks of all scheduled banks increased by Rs17.873 billion during the week to stand at Rs331.886 billion against earlier week’s Rs314.013 billion. The figure for commercial banks rose to Rs329.584 billion against preceding week’s figure of Rs311.756 billion, a rise of Rs17.828 billion. For specialised banks there was a rise of Rs0.047 billion to Rs2.303 billion, against earlier week’s figure of Rs2.256 billion.

Total assets of scheduled banks stood at Rs4,160.202 billion, lower by Rs0.221 billion, over preceding week’s figure of Rs4,160.423 billion. Meanwhile, commercial banks assets stood at Rs4,046.331 billion, lower by Rs0.582 billion over previous week’s figure of Rs4,045.749 billion. Specialised banks assets declined by Rs0.802 billion to Rs113.871 billion against previous week’s Rs114.673 billion.