BNM international reserves at US$102.6 bln as at March 15

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves rose to US$102.6 billion as at March 15, 2019 from US$102.4 billion as at Feb 28, 2019.

The central bank said the reserves position was sufficient to finance 7.4 months of retained imports and was 1.0 time total short-term external debt.

In a statement yesterday, BNM said the main components of the international reserves, as at March 15, 2019, comprised foreign currency reserves at US$96.7 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$2.3 billion).

It said assets included gold and foreign exchange and other reserves, including SDRs, which amounted to RM424.44 billion, Malaysian government papers (RM2.53 billion), deposits with financial institutions (RM965.84 million), loans and advances (RM7.23 billion), land and buildings (RM4.17 billion), and other assets (RM16.63 billion).

Capital and liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM136.76 billion), currency in circulation (RM107.04 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM158.95 billion), federal government deposits (RM19.28 billion), other deposits (RM1.26 billion), Bank Negara papers (RM23.28 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM7.74 billion), and other liabilities (RM1.55 billion). — Bernama