Official reserve assets stand at $12.97bn as of August 31: SBP

September 27, 2023 (MLN): The official reserve assets, including foreign currency reserves, IMF reserve position, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), gold, and other reserve assets, stood at $12.97 billion as of August 31, 2023, according to the latest data revealed by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The foreign currency reserves comprised securities, currency, and deposits held with other national central banks, and banks headquartered in and outside Pakistan clocked in at $4.77bn.

The gold reserves, which include gold deposits and swapped gold, amounted to 2.079 million fine troy ounces, equivalent to $4.04bn, down from $4.1bn from the previous month due to a decline in international spot gold price.

Pakistan's other foreign currency assets amounted to $99.17m.

Meanwhile, the country's predetermined short-term net drains on foreign currency assets amounted to a nominal value of $20.68bn.

The majority of the outflows, valued at $17.71bn, consisted of foreign currency loans, securities, and deposits. Among these, $1.13bn had a maturity of up to one month, $2.06bn had a maturity of more than one month but up to three months, and $14.52bn had a maturity of more than three months but up to one year.

The report also indicated that Pakistan's aggregate short and long positions in forwards and futures in foreign currencies vis-à-vis the domestic currency, including the forward leg of currency swaps, amounted to $4.58bn. This amount included short positions worth $4.6bn while long positions amounted to $23m.

In addition, there are $37.55m in collateral guarantees on debt due within a year, and $1.12bn contingent liabilities in foreign currency fall due up to one month.

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