International Reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia as at 30 December 2016
Embargo : For immediate release Not for publication or broadcast before 1500 on Friday, 6 January 20176 Jan 2017
6 Jan 2017
The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia amounted to USD94.6 billion (equivalent to RM424.2 billion) as at 30 December 2016 compared to USD95.3 billion (equivalent to RM409.1 billion) as at end-2015. The reserves level as at 30 December 2016 has taken into account the adjustment for foreign exchange revaluation changes. The level of reserves remained supported by the current account surplus and inflows of foreign direct investment. These were, however, offset by direct investment abroad by Malaysian companies and some reversals of non-resident portfolio investments.
The international reserves as at 30 December 2016 remain ample to facilitate international transactions. The reserves position is sufficient to finance 8.8 months of retained imports from 8.2 months as at 15 December 2016. The reserves level is also adequate to meet external obligations with a reserves to short-term external debt[1] coverage of 1.3 times.
[1] Refers to the redefined short-term external debt, which includes short-term offshore borrowing, non-resident holdings of short-term ringgit debt securities, non-resident deposits with the banking system and other short-term debt. For more information, please refer to the box article entitled 'The Redefinition of External Debt' in the Quarterly Bulletin on Economic and Financial Developments in the Malaysian Economy in the First Quarter of 2014.
Bank Negara Malaysia
6 January 2017
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