The Zimbabwe dollar shifted downwards marginally to settle at $82,67 from $82,08 to the United States dollar following the foreign currency auction.

The latest foreign currency auction platform saw the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) accepting bids to the tune of US$39,7 million, a record high.

But the total amount alloted stood at US$27,9 million.

And of the US$27, 9 million that was alloted, big businesses took up US$26 million, while the SMEs took up US$1,96 million.

The value of bids accepted from big corporates was US$37,1 million, while US$2,62 million worth of bids on the SMEs platform were accepted. The total number of bids on the auction platform rose to 533 from 517 previously.

The highest bid on the main auction was $87, while that for the SME section was marginally lower at $86. But the lowest bids on both the main auction and the SME auction remained merged at $80.

With respect to priority allocations, raw materials accounted for the bulk of allotments at US$12, 4 million on the main auction and US$558 018 on the SMEs section.

Machinery and equipment came in second with US$4,12 million on the main and US$489 125 on the SMEs section. And consumables came in third on the main auction at US$1,73 million; but on the SMEs section, consumables took up US$393 958.