Syria's currency hit its lowest value since the start of the country's five-year conflict on Sunday, having depreciated more than 92 percent, an economist said.
"It's the first time the exchange rate against the US dollar has reached this level since the beginning of the conflict," Firas Haddad told AFP.
The black market exchange rate was 625 pounds to the dollar on Sunday compared with from 48 pounds a dollar in March 2011, he said.
Sunday's official exchange rate was 512 Syrian pounds to the dollar, according to the central bank in Damascus.
In early April, the black market was 500 Syrian pounds to the dollar and the official rate was 462.
"Black market speculation unfortunately sets the exchange rate" and central bank meetings have failed to provide a mechanism to regulate it, Haddad said.