Bank Negara's international reserves decreased to US$103.1 billion as at Aug 15, 2019, from US$103.9 billion as at July 31, 2019.

The central bank, in a statement today, said the reserves position would be sufficient to finance 7.6 months of retained imports and was 1.1 times the total short-term external debt.

Bank Negara said the main components of the international reserves comprised foreign currency reserves at US$96.8 billion, International Monetary Fund reserves position (US$1.2 billion), Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (US$1.1 billion), gold (US$1.8 billion), and other reserve assets (US$2.2 billion).

It said assets included gold and foreign exchange and other reserves, including SDRs, which amounted to RM427.04 billion, Malaysian government papers (RM2.26 billion), deposits with financial institutions (RM2.20 billion), loans and advances (RM6.91 billion), land and buildings (RM4.16 billion), and other assets (RM11.91 billion).

Capital and liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM140.63 billion), currency in circulation (RM108.96 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM158.71 billion), federal government deposits (RM13.84 billion), other deposits (RM1.53 billion), Bank Negara papers (RM20.56 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM7.72 billion), and other liabilities (RM2.43 billion).

- Bernama