TIRANA, Oct 17 /ATA/ “The lek gained ground against the euro and the US dollar during the week of 12–17 October, while the British pound edged higher against the local currency.”
According to the Bank of Albania’s official exchange rate, the US dollar traded at 81.20 lek at the end of the week, down from 81.88 lek at the start, losing 0.68 lek.
The euro also lost ground, trading at 91.32 lek, down from 91.61 lek at the start of the week, a decrease of 0.29 lek.
In contrast, the British pound rose to 108.37 lek, from 108.25 lek at the beginning of the week. The Swiss franc traded at 98.33 lek, down from 98.56 lek, marking a decline of 0.23 lek.
Exchange rate fluctuations come amid growing pressure on the euro in the domestic market, as the Bank of Albania continues to buy foreign currency to prevent further appreciation of the lek.
The central bank purchased more than €2 billion on the domestic foreign exchange market in 2024–2025. In the first half of 2026, its purchases totalled €664 million, marking a record high for the period.
The Bank of Albania’s interventions in the foreign exchange market are intended to moderate exchange rate fluctuations and prevent the lek from strengthening further. These purchases also contribute to building up the country’s foreign exchange reserves and injecting liquidity into the domestic economy.
Data for September show that Albania’s foreign exchange reserves stood at around €8.4 billion, a record high and a 16% increase year on year.
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