KARACHI, MAR 21 (DNA): The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has revised profit rates on several National Savings Schemes following the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision to keep the policy rate unchanged at 12%.
As part of the revision, the return on Short Term Saving Certificates (STSC) has been raised by 15 basis points to 10.96%, up from the previous 10.81%. Whereas, Defence Saving Certificates (DSC) now offer a slightly higher return of 12.15%, up by 1 basis point from 12.14%.
Meanwhile, returns on the Pensioner Benefit Account, Behbood Savings Certificate, and Shuhada Family Welfare Account have been raised by 10 bps each to 13.68%.
The Sarwa Islamic Term Account (SITA) and Sarwa Islamic Saving Account (SISA) also saw a significant hike, with rates increasing by 70 bps to 10.44% each, from the previous 9.74%. In contrast, the Saving Account rate has been reduced by 100 bps, now offering a return of 10.5%, down from 11.5%.
The CDNS is Pakistan’s largest financial institution, managing assets exceeding Rs3.4 trillion and serving over four million customers through a nationwide network of 376 branches across the country, administered by 12 Regional Directorates.
It plays a vital role in helping the government finance its budgetary deficits and support key infrastructure projects.
These changes in profit returns come after the SBP’s MPC decision to keep the policy rate stable at 12%, a move that aligns with efforts to manage inflation and support economic stability.
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), slowed to 1.5% on a year-on-year basis in February 2025, down from 2.4% in January, marking the lowest inflation rate in 113 months, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
