July-May trade deficit widens 17.48pc to USD34.76bn YoY
Pakistan's trade deficit expanded by 17.48% to $34.76 billion in the first 11 months of FY2025-26, driven by rising imports and declining exports, despite some recent monthly improvements.
- Pakistan's widening trade deficit figures.
- Decline in exports and increase in imports.
- Monthly and annual trade performance trends.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit widened by 17.48 percent to USD 34.76 billion during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025–26, compared with USD 29.585 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
According to trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday, the country’s exports declined by 5.6 percent to USD 27.904 billion from USD 29.563 billion recorded during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, imports increased by 5.94 percent to USD 62.66 billion in the first 11 months of this fiscal year, compared with USD 59.148 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Meanwhile, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the exports in May 2026 recorded an increase of 1.26 percent to USD 2.705 billion compared to USD 2.67 billion in May 2025.
READ MORE: Pakistan’s trade deficit tops $4bn in April 2026
On an annual basis, the country’s imports witnessed a reduction of 6.63 percent, declining from USD 5.662 billion last year to USD 5.287 billion in the first 11 months of this financial year.
While on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, the exports registered an increase of 9.59 percent, reaching USD 2.705 billion in May 2026 from USD 2.468 billion during the same period of the previous financial year.
On a MoM basis, the country’s imports during May 2026 recorded a decline of 21.45 percent, totaling USD 5.287 billion compared with USD 6.731 billion in 2025.
The MoM trade deficit recorded a decline of 39.43 percent as it was recorded at USD 2.582 billion in May 2026 against $ 4.262 billion recorded in May 2025.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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