Zimbabwe Dollar Weakened Against USD At RBZ's Auction On 12 September 2023
The Zimbabwe dollar lost value against the United States dollar (USD) at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s wholesale foreign exchange auction held on September 12, 2023. The USD was exchanged at a rate of ZW$4,712.1675, which is higher than the rate of ZWL$4,647.9681 recorded on September 6, 2023. This follows a previous rate of ZWL$4,604.62 observed on August 29, 2023.
The foreign currency obtained from the auction was primarily allocated to Machinery and Equipment, receiving a total of $303,210.76. Services such as loans, education, dividends, and disinvestments followed closely with an allocation of $303,084.29. Raw materials received a slightly lower allocation of $266,877.75. In recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in the allocation of funds towards Services.
This allocation pattern represents a departure from the usual trend where raw materials typically received a larger share of the funds. The shift in allocation suggests changing priorities or demands within the economy post the 23-24 August 2023 elections.
These developments highlight the ongoing fluctuations in the exchange rate and the distribution of foreign currency across various sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. The stability of the exchange rate is yet to be determined, but some economists predicted that the Zimbabwean dollar may further depreciate after the period of August 23-24, 2023. They say this could occur if the newly-elected government does not take necessary measures to address the fundamental issues required for stabilising the macroeconomy and the local currency.
