The euro regains ground in the exchange rate with the lek, returns near...

The euro has regained ground in the exchange rate with the lek in recent days.

According to the official exchange rate of the Bank of Albania, the euro was exchanged today for 114.94 ALL, increasing for the second day in a row. Since Wednesday, the euro has regained almost a point in the exchange rate with the lek. At the beginning of this week, the euro fell below the level of 114 lek and marked the lowest point of this year, at the level of 113.97 lek, while it seems that this decline is being partially corrected.

Agents of the foreign exchange market say that, despite the growth of the last few days, the market does not observe any broad-based demand for the European currency. Most likely, the increase could be influenced by sporadic operations in large values.

A factor may also be the need of large actors of the foreign exchange market (banks) to close the positions that may have been opened in the last weeks, due to the increase in the volume of sales of the euro, an increase driven by the favorable exchange rate for buyers. Such a phenomenon was also observed in the last days of December, when the drop of the exchange rate to the minimum historical levels increased the demand for the European currency and this subsequently brought about a movement of the exchange rate in the opposite direction, increasing.

Market agents state that the balances of demand and supply in the market do not have large fluctuations and the exchange rate perspective remains in favor of the lek, which is believed to continue to maintain strong positions compared to previous periods.

If we look at the trends of the exchange rate in the longer term, the lek is continuing to appreciate in the exchange rate with the lek. The average exchange rate for the period January 1-March 16, 2023 is at the level of ALL 115.75, this level is 5.3% lower compared to the same period a year ago.

Sipas ekspertëve, forcimi i lekut mund të shpjegohet, në radhë të parë, me ecurinë pozitive të flukseve valutore hyrëse, i ndikuar kryesisht nga turizmi, rritja e investimeve të huaja sidomos në sektorin e pasurive të paluajtshme dhe flukset konstante të prurjeve valutore informale. Në fillim të këtij viti një efekt pozitiv mund të ketë ardhur nga përmirësimi i bilancit tregtar dhe rënia e ndjeshme e deficitit në muajin janar.

Nga ana tjetër, një ndikim të caktuar mund të ketë pasur edhe politika monetare me kah shtrëngues e Bankës së Shqipërisë, që është përcjellë me një rritje të normave të interesit dhe yield-eve për instrumentet financiare në lekë. Kjo mund të ketë ndikuar në kërkesë më të madhe për lekë dhe në rritje të ofertës së euros, sidomos në tremujorin e fundit të vitit të kaluar, kur rritja e yield-eve arriti kulmin./ Monitor.al