International reserves amount to US$101.4 billion as at Dec 31,2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia’s ( BNM) international reserves amounted to US$101.4 billion, as at Dec 31, 2018, unchanged from a fortnight ago.

The central bank, in a statement yesterday, said the reserves position would be sufficient to finance 7.4 months of retained imports and was 1.0 times the short- term external debt.

“The reserves level has taken into account the quarterly adjustment for foreign exchange revaluation changes,” it said.

The main components of the international reserves comprised foreign currency reserves at US$ 95.7 billion, International Monetary Fund reserves position ( US$ 900 million), Special Drawing Rights ( SDRs) ( US$ 1.1 billion), gold ( US$ 1.6 billion) and other reserve assets ( US$ 2.1 billion).

BNM said assets included gold and foreign exchange and other reserves including SDRs which amounted to RM419.54 billion, Malaysian government papers ( RM3.39 billion), deposits with financial institutions ( RM132.03 million), loans and advances ( RM6.87 billion), land and buildings ( RM4.17 billion), and other assets ( RM13.48 billion).

Liabilities comprised paidup capital ( RM100 million), reserves ( RM131.51 billion), currency in circulation ( RM106.41 billion), deposits by financial institutions ( RM169.13 billion), Federal government deposits ( RM7.96 billion), other deposits ( RM858.92 million), BNM papers ( RM21.75 billion), allocation of SDRs ( RM7.74 billion), and other liabilities ( RM2.14 billion). — Bernama