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Hong Kong Monetary Authority

Press release

Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures Released

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (7 November) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$102.7 billion at the end of October 2000 (end-September: US$101.5 billion) (Table 1).

Including unsettled forward contracts, the foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong at the end of October 2000 also stood at US$102.7 billion (end-September: US$101.7 billion).

In terms of foreign currency reserves ranking, Hong Kong is the world's fourth largest holder of foreign currency reserves, after Japan, Mainland China, and Taiwan (Table 2).

The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$102.7 billion represent about eight times the currency in circulation or about 40% of Hong Kong dollar M3, one of the highest ratios in the world.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Jasmin Fung, Manager (Press), at 2878 8246 or

Caitlin Wong, Manager (Press), at 2878 1687



Hong Kong Monetary Authority

7 November 2000

******************************************************************

At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of November, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:

7 November   SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong's Latest
Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
14 November   SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Exchange Fund Balance Sheet Data)
27 November   Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and
Currency Board Account
30 November   SDDS Template on International Reserves and
Foreign Currency Liquidity


Table 1

Foreign Currency Reserve Assets of Hong Kong

(US$ billion)

 
                  Excluding                   Including
                  Unsettled     Unsettled     Unsettled
                  FX Contracts  FX Contracts  FX Contracts
                  ----------------------------------------
Dec 95            55.4          1.8           57.2 
Dec 96            63.8          5.7           69.6 
Dec 97            92.8          0.4           93.2 
Dec 98            89.6            -           89.6

Jan 99            90.1            -           90.1
Feb 99            89.8            -           89.8
Mar 99            89.5            -           89.5
Apr 99            89.5            -           89.5
May 99            88.9            -           88.9
Jun 99		  88.6		  -	      88.6
Jul 99            89.1  	  -           89.1 
Aug 99            89.2	        0.1           89.3
Sep 99            90.4            -           90.4
Oct 99  	  90.4		  -	      90.4
Nov 99		  92.1	        0.5	      92.6
Dec 99		  96.3		  -	      96.3

Jan 00		  94.3	       (0.1)	      94.2
Feb 00		  93.1	  	  -	      93.1
Mar 00		  93.8	        0.1	      93.9
Apr 00            93.9          0.3           94.2
May 00		  95.2	        0.2	      95.4
Jun 00		  97.1		  -	      97.1
Jul 00		  98.9		  -	      98.9
Aug 00	         100.4	       (0.3)	     100.1
Sep 00	         101.5	        0.2	     101.7
Oct 00	         102.7		  -	     102.7

Figures for the end of 1995 and 1996 do not include Land Fund figures. The Land Fund was established on 1 July 1997 and its foreign currency reserve assets were included thereafter in the above compilation. The assets of the Land Fund were merged into the Exchange Fund in November 1998.


Table 2

Foreign Currency Reserves Ranking

 
                         US$ billion       As at end of
                         -----------       ------------
(1)  Japan               348.9	           Sep 2000
(2)  Mainland China      160.1             Sep 2000
(3)  Taiwan              109.1             Oct 2000
(4)  Hong Kong           102.7             Oct 2000
(5)  Korea                92.7             Oct 2000
(6)  Germany              88.3             Sep 2000
(7)  Singapore            78.1 		   Sep 2000
(8)  France       	  65.2	 	   Aug 2000
(9)  US                   65.2		   Oct 2000
(10) Switzerland          52.0             Sep 2000

Sources: HKMA, Reuters, Website of International Monetary Fund, U.S.Department of Treasury.


Source: Hong Kong Monetary Authority
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