Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (28 January)
that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,082.
4 billion as at 31 December 2024, HK$55. 7 billion higher than that at
the end of November 2024. Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$110.
7 billion while foreign currency assets decreased by HK$55. 0 billion.
The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the
increase in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled
at month end. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to
reduction in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of
securities and mark-to-market revaluation of investments.
The
Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of
December 2024 was HK$1,957. 6 billion, increased by HK$7. 4 billion,
or 0. 4%, from the end of November 2024. The increase was mainly due
to the amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes
issued and increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of
Indebtedness.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$3.
6 billion, or 0. 2%, to HK$2,144. 6 billion at the end of December
2024. The increase was mainly attributable to interest income from
investments and the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness, which
were partly offset by mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The
Backing Ratio decreased from 109. 79% at the end of November 2024 to
109. 56% at the end of December 2024.
The figures in the
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and the Currency Board Account
are unaudited. The audit of the Exchange Fund’s annual financial
statements by the Director of Audit is in progress.
Annex 1:
Abridged Balance Sheet of the Exchange Fund Annex 2: Currency Board
Account
Hong Kong Monetary Authority 28 January 2025
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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 January 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press
releases are as follows: 7 January (Issued) SDDS International
Reserves (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
14 January (Issued) SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) 28 January SDDS Template on
International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity 28 January
Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account