The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (September 30) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$3,981.5 billion as at August 31, 2024, HK$10.6 billion higher than that at the end of July 2024. Foreign currency assets increased by HK$10.3 billion and Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$0.3 billion.
The rise in foreign currency assets was mainly due to mark-to-market revaluation of investments, interest income from investments and an increase in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities, which were partly offset by withdrawals of Fiscal Reserves placements. The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to mark-to-market revaluation of Hong Kong equities, which was partly offset by a decrease in placements with banks.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of August 2024 was HK$1,934.9 billion, increased by HK$11.7 billion, or 0.6 per cent, from the end of July 2024. The increase was mainly due to the increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness and amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$17.6 billion, or 0.8 per cent, to HK$2,173.1 billion at the end of August 2024. The increase was mainly attributable to interest from investments, the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness and mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The Backing Ratio increased from 112.07 per cent at the end of July 2024 to 112.31 per cent at the end of August 2024.
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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 September 2024, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
| September 6 (Issued) |
SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures) |
| September 13 (Issued) |
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) |
| September 30 | SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity |
| September 30 | Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account |
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