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Release at 8:15 a.m. EDT
Ottawa, September 4, 2003
2003-039

Official International Reserves

- Official International Reserves 2003 -


The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves decreased by an amount equivalent to US$475 million during August to US$35,290 million.

Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of August 31, 2003, as well as the major factors underlying the change in reserves, are provided below. All figures are in millions of US dollars unless otherwise noted.


Foreign Currency Reserves

Securities 28,575
Deposits   2,100
Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves) 30,675

Gold1 65
Special drawing rights (SDRs) 765
Reserve position in the IMF   3,785
Total:  August 31, 2003 35,290
 July 31, 2003 35,765

Net change -475
Details on Deposits

Other central banks/Bank for International Settlements

750
Banks headquartered in Canada 0

Of which: located abroad

0

Banks headquartered abroad 1,350
Of which: located in Canada         50
Total 2,100

Details of Net Change  
Reserves management operations2 -111
Gains and losses on gold sales 1
Net investment gains and losses  
  Return on investments3 -24
  Foreign currency debt charges -26
  Revaluation effects4 -315
Net government operations5 0
Official intervention 0
Other transactions          0
   
Net change -475
Currency Composition of Deposits and Securities  
US dollars 16,134
Euro 13,573
Yen

961

Other

         7

Total

30,675


Predetermined Short-Term Drains on Foreign Currency Reserves (Nominal Value)7

0-1
month
1-3
months
3-12
months
Total
Foreign currency securities8
  Principal -1,361 -1,422 -2,243 -5,026
  Interest -195 -233 -786 -1,214

Aggregate short forward positions in foreign currencies vis-à-vis Canadian dollar

0 0 0 0

Aggregate long forward positions in foreign currencies vis-à-vis Canadian dollar

0 0 0 0

Total net drains

-1,556 -1,655 -3,029 -6,240

Additional Information (Nominal Value)

Undrawn, unconditional credit lines with   banks headquartered outside Canada

6,000

Securities lent under repurchase agreements9 -1,190

Securities held under repurchase agreements10 1,052

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

Forwards

0

Swaps

232


Notes:

1. Sales of 135,720 ounces of gold settled in August. On August 31, gold holdings stood at 0.2 million ounces. The valuation is based on the August 31, 2003, London p.m. fix of US$375.60 per ounce.

2. Net change in securities and deposits resulting from foreign currency funding activities of the Government. (Issuance of foreign currency liabilities used to acquire assets increases reserves, while maturities decrease reserves). During August Canada bills decreased by US$111 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$1,682 million.

3. "Return on investments" comprises US$93 million of interest earned on investments and a US$117-million decrease in the market value of securities resulting from changes in interest rates.

4. "Revaluation effects" reflect changes in the market value of reserve assets resulting from movements in exchange rates.

5. "Net government operations" are the net purchases of foreign currency for government foreign exchange requirements and for additions to reserves.

6. Predetermined short-term drains include the Government’s contractual obligations in foreign currencies related to payments of principal and interest associated with securities and commitments under swaps and forward contracts coming due during the next 12 months.

7. "Foreign currency securities" include maturities of foreign currency debt, cross-currency swap payments and an estimate of interest payments on foreign currency liabilities.

8. "Securities lent under repurchase agreements" are included in total reserves. Collateral provided in securities-lending transactions is not included in total reserves.

9. Cash invested under repurchase agreements is included in total reserves. Collateral provided in securities-lending transactions is not included in total reserves.

Future Release Dates

The next release is October 3, 2003 (covering the period September 2003).

A list of upcoming release dates is posted on the Department of Finance Web site located at: www.fin.gc.ca/invest_x/releaseDates_e.asp

___________________
For further information:

Nigel Stephens
Financial Markets Division
(613) 943-1944

Andrée Houde
Public Affairs and Operations Division
(613) 996-8080 

For further information on the Exchange Fund Account, please consult the 2002 Annual Report to Parliament on the Operations of the Exchange Fund Account by the Minister of Finance and Report of the Auditor General to the Minister of Finance on the Examination of the Accounts and Financial Statements of the Exchange Fund Account, located at www.fin.gc.ca/purl/efa-e.html.

If you would like to receive automatic e-mail notification of all news releases, please visit the Department of Finance Canada Web site at http://www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/register_e.asp


Official International Reserves (10-Year Synopsis)


US
dollars

Other
currencies

Gold

SDRs

IMF
position

Total


(millions of US dollars)

August 31, 2003

16,134

14,541

65

765

3,785

35,290

July 31, 2003

15,967

14,831

110

761

4,096

35,765

June 30, 2003

16,207

15,469

107

766

4,150

36,699

May 31, 2003

16,652

16,044

153

777

3,797

37,423

April 30, 2003

16,587

15,045

142

745

3,744

36,263

March 31, 2003

16,501

14,754

170

739

3,762

35,926

February 28, 2003

16,188

15,238

177

738

3,560

35,901

January 31, 2003

17,885

15,211

220

728

3,591

37,635

December 31, 2002

17,946

14,739

205

712

3,567

37,169

November 30, 2002

18,419

13,902

218

697

3,265

36,501

October 31, 2002

19,234

13,811

216

685

3,310

37,256

September 30, 2002

18,426

13,937

250

686

3,316

36,615

August 31, 2002

18,836

13,931

242

688

3,399

37,096


Dec. 31, 2001

19,748

10,736

291

614

2,859

34,248

Dec. 31, 2000

21,692

7,327

323

574

2,508

32,424

Dec. 31, 1999

18,838

5,594

524

526

3,164

28,646

Dec. 31, 1998

15,907

4,004

122

1,097

2,297

23,427

Dec. 31, 1997

14,630

492

146

1,126

1,575

17,969

Dec. 31, 1996

17,521

507

155

1,168

1,227

20,578

Dec. 31, 1995

12,127

502

178

1,177

1,243

15,227

Dec. 31, 1994

9,693

526

199

1,148

910

12,475

Dec. 31, 1993

9,950

521

292

1,064

949

12,776

Dec. 31, 1992

7,864

1,518

478

1,039

1,010

11,909



Last Updated: 2004-11-02

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