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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (October 30) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$3,293.5 billion as at September 30, 2015, HK$54.4 billion higher than that at the end of August 2015. Foreign currency assets increased by HK$59.3 billion while Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$4.9 billion.
The rise in foreign currency assets was mainly due to the purchase of US dollars under the currency board system. The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the fall in market value of Hong Kong equities during the month.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of September 2015 was HK$1,483.2 billion, increased by HK$60.1 billion, or 4.2%, from the end of August 2015. The rise was mainly due to an increase in the balance of the banking system.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$62.0 billion, or 4.1%, to HK$1,585.9 billion. The rise was mainly attributable to the purchase of US dollars under the currency board system. The backing ratio decreased from 107.08% at the end of August 2015 to 106.92% at the end of September 2015.
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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 October 2015, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
October 7 (Issued)
SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
October 14 (Issued)
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
October 30
SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
October 30
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
Ends/Friday, October 30, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:30
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