According to the latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, both foreign investment and exports have witnessed a notable decline, which may impact the overall economic outlook of the country.
The data shows that in February 2026, total foreign investment stood at 186.7 million dollars, with 135.5 million dollars invested in the private sector and 51 million dollars in the public sector.
The State Bank reported that during the first eight months of the current fiscal year, total foreign investment amounted to 704.1 million dollars, compared to 1.58 billion dollars in the same period of the previous fiscal year 2025, reflecting a 44 percent decline.
On the other hand, export figures also showed a downward trend, as exports declined by 9.6 percent in February 2026 compared to January 2026. Overall exports during the first eight months of fiscal year 2026 fell by 5.4 percent to 20.74 billion dollars.
According to the State Bank, textile exports declined by 7 percent in February compared to January, although on a cumulative basis, textile exports increased by 2.7 percent during the eight months, reaching 11.91 billion dollars.
Further details indicate that food group exports saw a significant decline of 32.5 percent during the first eight months of the fiscal year, while rice exports dropped by approximately 39.3 percent during the same period.
The data also shows that exports to the United States decreased by 9 percent and to China by 14.2 percent in February compared to January. Overall, exports to China declined by 23 percent during the first eight months of the fiscal year, while exports to the United States recorded a 3.6 percent increase from July to February.
