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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s current account returned to surplus in May 2026, recording a $459 million surplus, compared with a revised deficit of $276 million in April, according to State Bank of Pakistan data, marking a sharp monthly improvement in the country&rsquo;s external position. The rebound was largely driven by stronger secondary income inflows, led by workers&rsquo; remittances, which rose to $4.25 billion in May from $3.54 billion a month earlier. The improvement helped offset a still-wide trade gap, as goods imports remained elevated at $5.69 billion while goods exports slipped to $2.37 billion.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2067104300246188332&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=39708624663c4b93894fa7249b4b9cd3e2c74294&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> The goods trade deficit stood at $3.32 billion in May, slightly narrower than April&rsquo;s $3.37 billion but wider than the $3.06 billion deficit recorded in May 2025. Services trade provided limited support, posting a $28 million surplus during the month.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 899px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2067127214043525440&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d5e5a1581e566fba5e49ab7c4f655bbf7a1387c8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2067127214043525440"></iframe></div></div> On a cumulative basis, the current account recorded a surplus of $255 million in July-May FY26, compared with $1.62 billion in the same period last year, indicating that external pressures have not fully eased. The May surplus provides short-term support for foreign-exchange stability, but sustained improvement would depend on export growth, import management, and continued remittance inflows, amid a fragile yet improving overall balance-of-payments outlook in the coming months.

Economy

The rebound was largely driven by stronger secondary income inflows, led by workers’ remittances, which rose to $4.25 billion in May from $3.54 billion a month earlier.

Pakistan's current account balance swings to $459M surplus in May

MELBOURNE: Australia&#39;s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on China to import Australian iron ore without hindrance after reports on Wednesday that a state-run Chinese iron ore buyer had told steelmakers and traders to temporarily stop buying shipments from global mining giant BHP.&nbsp;China Mineral Resources Group Co.&rsquo;s move against the world&rsquo;s biggest miner, which is based in Melbourne, escalates an impasse in contract negotiations, news media reported.&nbsp;Albanese said he was &ldquo;concerned&rdquo; by the reports of the disruption to Australia&rsquo;s most lucrative export.&nbsp;&ldquo;I want to see Australian iron ore be able to be exported into China without hindrance. That is important. It makes a major contribution to China&rsquo;s economy, but also to Australia&rsquo;s,&rdquo; Albanese told reporters.&nbsp;&ldquo;These measures are always disappointing. But let&rsquo;s certainly hope that they are very much short-term. Sometimes, when people are negotiating over price, these things will occur. But I want to see this resolved quickly,&rdquo; Albanese added.&nbsp;China Mineral Resources Group Co. asked domestic buyers this week to suspend purchases of any dollar-denominated seaborne cargo from BHP, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, asking not to be identified because they were discussing private deliberations.&nbsp;It means new deals can&rsquo;t be signed, including for cargo that has already left Australia, where BHP&#39;s mines are located.&nbsp;The Chinese company, created by Beijing to bolster the country&rsquo;s sway in the global iron ore trade, did not respond to requests for comment, Bloomberg reported.&nbsp;BHP told the AP the company did not comment on commercial negotiations.&nbsp;Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he would arrange a meeting with BHP chief executive Mike Henry to discuss the Chinese trade.&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen those reports; they&rsquo;re concerning reports. Ultimately, though, they are about the commercial arrangements between two companies and so in one respect, a matter for the company to work through,&rdquo; Chalmers told reporters, referring to reports of the BHP boycott.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is a government that advocates for Australia&rsquo;s interests on the world stage, with our major trading partners. You can expect that to be the case again. (We will) work through these issues calmly and carefully, advocating for the workers and businesses and investors of our country,&rdquo; Chalmers added.&nbsp;China has lifted a series of official and unofficial trade barriers since Albanese&#39;s government was first elected in 2022, which had been costing Australian exporters up to 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion) a year. But Australian iron ore was spared previous trade barriers due to its importance.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

China

Australasia

Australian PM Anthony Albanese urged China to resume unhindered iron ore imports after reports that a state-run Chinese buyer halted purchases from BHP, escalating trade tensions amid ongoing price negotiations.

Articles tagged with "Imports"

Pakistan's current account balance swings to $459M surplus in May

Australian PM urges China to resume iron ore imports after reported trade disruption

Pakistan's current account balance swings to $459M surplus in May