********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (May 29) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$3,339.3 billion as at April 30, 2015, HK$59.8 billion higher than that at the end of March 2015. Foreign currency assets increased by HK$86.8 billion while Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$27.0 billion.
The rise in foreign currency assets was mainly due to the purchase of foreign currencies with Hong Kong dollars and mark-to-market gains on foreign currency portfolios. The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to a decrease in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled, which was partly offset by mark-to-market gains on Hong Kong equities.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of April 2015 was HK$1,425.9 billion, increased by HK$70.6 billion, or 5.2%, from the end of March 2015. The rise was mainly due to an increase in the balance of the banking system.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$70.4 billion, or 4.8%, to HK$1,525.7 billion. The rise was mainly attributable to the purchase of US dollars under the currency board system. The backing ratio decreased from 107.38% at the end of March 2015 to 107.00% at the end of April 2015.
*************************************************
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 May 2015, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
May 7 (Issued)
SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
May 14 (Issued)
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
May 29
SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
May 29
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
Ends/Friday, May 29, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:17
NNNN