Nepal’s inflation rate eased to 5.26% YoY by mid-January from 7.26% a year earlier, attributed mainly to controlled food price increases. The country’s foreign reserves have strengthened to Rs 1.816 tln (USD 13.69 bln) by mid-January, an 18% rise since mid-July, offering a robust import cover of 14.5 months for goods and 12.1 months for goods and services, reflecting a solid fiscal stance.