Jul-Aug trade deficit swells 18.11pc YoY

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit increased by 18. 11 percent during the first two months (July to August) of the current fiscal year 2026-27, rising from around USD6. 025 billion in the same period of last fiscal year to USD7. 116 billion, according to a summary of merchandise trade statistics released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday. The country’s total imports reached USD12. 575 billion during the period under review, against USD11. 125 billion imports during the same period of the last fiscal year, reflecting an increase of 13. 03 percent in imports during July-August 2026-27. During the period under review, the country’s exports also witnessed an increase of 7. 04 percent as exports went up from USD5. 1 billion in 2025-26 to USD 5. 46 billion in July-August 2026-27 However, on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, Pakistan’s exports witnessed a decline of 15. 01 percent in August compared with July 2026, as the country’s total exports stood at USD 1. 508 billion in August against USD 2. 951 billion in July 2026. During August, imports also recorded a decline of 17. 69 percent as it went down from USD 6. 898 billion to USD 5. 678 billion. On a MoM basis, the country’s trade deficit also witnessed a decline of 19. 69 percent as it went down from USD 3, 947 billion to USD 3. 170 billion. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, Pakistan’s exports registered an increase of 3. 81 percent as it went up from USD 2. 416 billion in August 2025 to USD 2. 508 billion in August 2026. Imports also registered an increase of 7. 38 percent on a YoY basis, reaching USD 5. 678 billion in August 2026 against USD 5. 288 billion during the same period of the previous year. On a YoY basis, the trade deficit also registered an increase of 10. 38 percent. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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