The New Nation - Internet Edition

NATION BUSINESS REPORT

The country's foreign exchange reserve has gone higher to US dollar 5.80 billion as on the close of last week (December 23) from US Dollar 5.25 billion on the close of last month, indicating a rise by 10.5 percent over a period of less than a month.

The reserve on June 30 this year was US dollar 6.15 billion while it was US Dollar 5.422 billion on December 23 last year, according to Bangladesh Bank data released Thursday.

The wage earners' remittance sent by the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) during November this year amounted to US Dollar 761.38 million against US Dollar 617.39 million, marking a rise by 23.32 percent.

The remittance sent through the banking channel during the five months of the current fiscal (July to November) totaled to US dollar 3.75 billion against US dollar 2.81 billion, showing a rise by 33.39 percent.

The current account balance during July to September of the this fiscal registered a deficit of US dollar 280 million, against a deficit of US Dollar 59 million.

The current account marked a surplus balance of US Dollar 672 million during the fiscal year 2007-08.

Rate of inflation on the basis of 12 months average during November this year was 9.37 points from 9.80 in October and 10.00 in March this year, while it was 8.65 in November and 9.11 in December last year.

On point-to-point basis, the inflation was 6.12 points in November, 7.26 in October and 10.06 in June this year, while it was 11.21 in November and 11.59 points in December last year.

The call money rate on December 23 this year was 9.39 percent against 12.64 percent during the corresponding period last year, while it was 8.00 percent in November and 4.78 percent in June this year.