***********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (February 7) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$312.2 billion as at the end of January 2014 (end-December 2013: US$311.2 billion) (Annex).
There were no unsettled foreign exchange contracts both at end-January 2014 and end-December 2013.
The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$312.2 billion represent about seven times the currency in circulation or about 50 per cent of Hong Kong dollar M3.
*****************************************************
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 February 2014, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
February 7
SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
February 14
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
February 28
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
February 28
SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
Ends/Friday, February 7, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:56
NNNN
