Value of Kenyan shilling drops as festive season comes to an end

On Thursday, the shilling lost slightly against the US dollar as more importers stocked up goods for the start of business following the festive season.
The local currency touched a seven-day low with 102.10 units buying one dollar.
Analysts have tipped the shilling could lose even more ground against the dollar due to fiscal and current account deficits as well as lower foreign exchange reserves.

The value of the Kenyan shilling against the US dollar has dropped following increased importation witnessed in January.

On Thursday, the shilling lost slightly against the US dollar as more importers stocked up goods for the start of business following the festive season. On Wednesday the shilling closed the day buying at 102.05 units and selling at 102.25 units.

The local currency touched a seven-day low with 102.10 units buying one dollar.

Kenyan shillings comes under pressure as importers open shops following end of the festive season Pulse Live Kenya

A dollar was sold at 102.30 units at 10.54am, according to Reuters data and by 2.30pm on Wednesday it was buying one dollar at 102.13 units and selling 102.23 units.

Reuters linked the pressure to increased demand for hard currency from goods importers as the pace of business accelerated after Tuesday’s New Year celebrations.

The trend is in line with what has been witnessed in previous years where a rise in January imports has always exerted pressure on the shilling. Analysts at Citi Global Markets have tipped the shilling could lose even more ground against the dollar due to fiscal and current account deficits as well as lower foreign exchange reserves.

Central Bank of Kenya headquarters in Nairobi. Pulse Live Kenya

However, fresh data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) covering up to September last year show that the current account deficit narrowed by 23.1 per cent from a deficit of Sh150.9 billion in the third quarter of 2017 to Sh116 billion in the third quarter of 2018.

This was mainly driven by the increased value of exports in goods and services as well as the reduced value of food imports, according to KNBS.

In the same period, the balance of payments recorded a deficit of Sh39.2 billion, an improvement from a deficit of Sh70.1 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2017.