Foreign companies operating in Pakistan repatriated $172 million in profits during April 2026, marking a significant 42 percent increase compared to the same month last year. According to the latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the surge pushes cumulative profit outflows to just over $2 billion within 10 months of the ongoing FY 2025-2026.
Data compiled by AKD Securities reveals that the financial business sector led the April outflows, repatriating $72 million. The food sector followed with $30 million, while tobacco and cigarette manufacturers sent $26 million abroad. On a country-wise basis, investors from the United Kingdom led the trend, pulling out $81 million in returns from the local market.
While the steady 8.7 percent year-on-year increase in cumulative outflows signals resilient foreign investor confidence despite persistent macroeconomic hurdles, it simultaneously heightens concerns over the continuous drainage of the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
The data arrived amid a minor consolidation on the financial front. The Pakistani rupee edged up a marginal 0.01 percent in the interbank market, closing at Rs278.57 against the US dollar. Concurrently, the greenback found brief support in early Asian trading after US President Trump announced a temporary pause on planned strikes against Iran to allow room for diplomatic negotiations, bringing temporary relief to regional bond markets.
Meanwhile, local gold prices held steady despite a two percent plunge in international bullion driven by a firmer US dollar and global inflation worries. The price of gold per tola in Pakistan stood unchanged at Rs477,162, balanced by broader market pressures including global crude oil prices hovering above $110 per barrel due to the ongoing geopolitical friction.
