A worker at a foreign exchange currency bureau counts 1000 Ugandan shilling banknotes in Kampala, Uganda, on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Uganda’s central bank said it stands ready to act if the World Bank’s decision to halt new funding over the country’s passage of anti-LGBTQ legislation impacts the currency further. Photographer: Luke Dray/Bloomberg via Getty Images

KAMPALA, Sept 20 (Reuters) – The Ugandan shilling posted gains on Friday, helped by a drop in hard-currency appetite from commercial banks and merchandise importers, traders said.

At 0925 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,700/3,710 to the U.S. dollar, compared to Thursday’s closing level of 3,710/3,720.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Alexander Winning)