–Market Buying Rate Closes at L$180.67 per US$1, While Selling Rate Settles at L$182.60
MONROVIA, Liberia — The Liberian dollar remained relatively stable against the United States dollar during the week ending August 20, with Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) indicative market rates showing only marginal movements across the reporting period.
According to foreign-exchange data published by the Central Bank of Liberia’s Financial Markets Department, the market buying rate moved within a narrow range between L$180.6467 and L$180.7498 per US$1, while the selling rate ranged from L$182.5780 to L$182.6790 between August 14 and August 20.
By August 20, the indicative buying rate stood at L$180.6749 per US$1, while the selling rate was L$182.6046 per US$1.
The figures suggest a largely stable exchange-rate environment over the six-day reporting period, with neither the buying nor selling rate experiencing a significant sustained shift.
Dollar Market Shows Narrow Fluctuations
The CBL data show that the buying rate began the period at L$180.6467 per US$1 on August 14 before rising to L$180.6770 on August 15.
It then increased to L$180.7138 on August 17, reaching the week’s highest buying rate of L$180.7498 on August 18, before easing to L$180.7126 on August 19 and L$180.6749 on August 20.
On the selling side, the rate stood at L$182.5780 per US$1 on August 14, climbed to L$182.6055 on August 15 and reached L$182.6423 on August 17.
The selling rate peaked at L$182.6790 on August 18, before declining slightly to L$182.6424 on August 19 and L$182.6046 on August 20.
The pattern shows a brief midweek strengthening of the dollar against the Liberian dollar in the indicative market rates, followed by a modest reversal toward the end of the period.
Only Marginal Change Over the Period
Comparing August 14 with August 20, the indicative buying rate increased by just L$0.0282, while the selling rate increased by L$0.0266.
In percentage terms, that represents a movement of roughly 0.02 percent on both sides of the market—an indication of considerable short-term stability in the rates surveyed by the CBL.
The narrow weekly range also provides little evidence, from these figures alone, of a sharp exchange-rate swing during the period.
The difference between the buying and selling rates on August 20 was approximately L$1.93 per US$1.
CBL Clarifies It Does Not Set Market Rates
Importantly, the Central Bank emphasized that the figures are indicative market rates, rather than official rates set by the Bank.
The CBL said the rates are based on daily surveys of the foreign-exchange market in Monrovia and selected cities across Liberia.
The surveys draw information from commercial banks, parallel markets and licensed foreign-exchange bureaus.
“The Central Bank of Liberia does not set the rates,” the Bank stated in the accompanying publication.
The distinction is important because the published figures are intended to reflect prevailing market conditions rather than represent a rate administratively imposed by the country’s monetary authority.
What the Numbers Mean for Businesses and Consumers
Exchange-rate movements remain important for businesses and consumers because the Liberian economy relies heavily on transactions involving the United States dollar.
For importers, retailers and businesses purchasing goods or services priced in US dollars, changes in the exchange rate can affect the Liberian-dollar cost of transactions.
Similarly, households and individuals converting between Liberian dollars and US dollars can be affected by movements in the buying and selling rates.
The relatively narrow movement recorded during the latest reporting period, however, points to a comparatively stable short-term market based on the CBL’s surveyed rates.
Market Conditions Remain the Key Indicator
While the CBL’s weekly figures provide a snapshot of market conditions, they do not by themselves establish a broader trend in the Liberian dollar’s performance.
The data cover only August 14 through August 20, 2026, and the Bank specifically describes them as indicative rates based on daily market surveys.
Continued monitoring of the rates over a longer period will therefore be necessary to determine whether the recent stability represents a sustained trend or merely short-term market conditions.
The latest figures nevertheless show the Liberian dollar trading within a relatively tight band against the US dollar during the period under review, with the August 20 indicative rates ending close to where the week began.
The CBL’s Financial Markets Department is the source of the published figures.
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