Pakistan, Jan. 22 -- The Pakistani rupee continued to strengthen against the US dollar, closing at 279.90 in the interbank market as improved dollar supply supported the local currency. Moreover, the greenback briefly slipped to 279.66 during trading before rising slightly because of fresh import demand later in the session. This steady performance shows that market balance is improving after weeks of pressure. As a result, traders remained cautiously optimistic about near term stability.

In the open market, the rupee also posted gains, finishing at 281.18 per dollar, which marked a 14 paisa improvement over the last two trading days. Furthermore, currency dealers reported smoother dollar flows and reduced panic buying, helping the excha...