Malaysia's Central Bank's International Reserves Ease to US$101.4 Billion

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia’s Central Bank) amounted to US$101.4 billion as at Dec 14, down from US$102.0 billion a fortnight earlier. The central bank said the reserves position is sufficient to finance 7.4 months of retained imports and was 1.0 time the short-term external debt. The main components of the international reserves comprised foreign currency reserves at US$95.6 billion, International Monetary Fund reserves position (US$900 million), Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (US$1.1 billion), gold (US$1.5 billion), and other reserve assets (US$2.3 billion). BNM’s assets were made up of gold and foreign exchange and other reserves, including SDRs which amounted to RM420.10 billion, Malaysian government papers (RM3.39 billion), loans and advances (RM6.93 billion), land and buildings (RM4.18 billion), and other assets (RM9.80 billion). Its liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM133.78 billion), currency in circulation (RM104.59 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM158.16 billion), federal government deposits (RM10.39 billion), other deposits (RM748.05 million), BNM papers (RM26.03 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM7.77 billion), and other liabilities (RM2.82 billion). -- BERNAMA