KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee saw a slight improvement against the US dollar on Monday, appreciating by 0.02% in the inter-bank market.

The currency closed at 278.65, gaining Re0.06 against the greenback.In the previous week, the rupee experienced a minor decline, depreciating by Re0.13 or 0.05%. It closed at 278.71 compared to 278.58 in the prior week, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Internationally, the US dollar remained near a two-year high on Monday as investors focused on Donald Trump's return to the White House. His inauguration speech and policies will be closely watched. Global market developments also centered around the Middle East, particularly after Hamas released Israeli hostages and Israel freed Palestinian prisoners. Cryptocurrency markets were also active, with investors awaiting Trump's executive orders aimed at easing regulations on digital assets. Trump's recent digital token launch saw its value soar above $70, reaching a market value of over $15 billion. Oil prices showed minimal change as expectations grew that Trump might relax energy sanctions on Russia in exchange for a deal to end the Ukraine conflict.  Brent crude futures settled at $80.73 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $77.98 per barrel. In the open market, the Pakistani rupee weakened slightly, with the buying rate for the dollar closing at 279.37 and the selling rate at 281.17. The rupee also depreciated against the Euro, UAE Dirham, and Saudi Riyal.