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Release at 8:15 a.m. EDT
Ottawa, July 6, 2004
2004-039

Official International Reserves

- Official International Reserves 2004 -


The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves decreased by an amount equivalent to US$560 million during June to US$35,416 million.

Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of June 30, 2004, 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 28,955
Deposits   2,234
Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves) 31,189
Gold1 43
Special drawing rights (SDRs) 849
Reserve position in the IMF   3,335
Total:  June 30, 2004 35,416
May 31, 2004  35,976
Net change -560
Details on Deposits

Other central banks/Bank for International Settlements

834

Banks headquartered in Canada

0

  Of which: located abroad

0

Banks headquartered abroad

1,400

  Of which: located in Canada

0            

Total

2,234

Details of Net Change

Reserves management operations2 -355
Gains and losses on gold sales 0
Net investment gains and losses

  Return on investments3

65

  Foreign currency debt charges

-275

  Revaluation effects4

5
Net government operations5 0
Official intervention 0
Other transactions          0
Net change -560
Currency Composition of Deposits and Securities
US dollars

16,644

Euro

13,508

Yen

1,027

Other

       10

Total

31,189


Predetermined Short-Term Drains on Foreign Currency Reserves (Nominal Value)6

0-1
month
1-3
months
3-12
months
Total
Foreign currency securities7 Principal -1,106 -1,361 -3,952 -6,419
Interest -169 -235 -767 -1,171
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 -1,275 -1,596 -4,719 -7,590
Additional Information (Nominal Value)

Undrawn, unconditional credit lines with banks headquartered outside Canada 6,000

Securities lent under repurchase agreements8 -2,352

Securities held under repurchase agreements9 209

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

  Forwards

0

  Swaps

-173


Notes:
  1. There were no sales of gold settled in June. On June 30, gold holdings stood at 0.1 million ounces. The valuation is based on the June 30, 2004, London p.m. fix of US$395.80 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 June Canada bills increased by US$168 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$1,943 million. Cross-currency swaps of domestic obligations raised US$500 million, and a total of US$1,023 million equivalent in cross-currency swaps matured.
  3. "Return on investments" comprises US$91 million of interest earned on investments and a US$26-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 August 5, 2004 (covering the period July 2004).

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:

Sandra Lavoratore
Financial Markets Division
(613) 947-3919

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)
June 30, 2004 16,644 14,545 43 849 3,335 35,416
May 31, 2004 16,356 15,315 43 851 3,411 35,976
April 30,  2004 15,712 15,112 42 832 3,415 35,113
March 31, 2004 16,194 15,723 46 847 3,602 36,412
February 29, 2004 15,546 15,842 43 847 3,705 35,983
January 31, 2004 15,685 15,968 44 835 3,836 36,368
December 31, 2003 15,576 15,961 45 838 3,848 36,268
November 30, 2003 15,879 15,365 69 812 3,968 36,093
October 31, 2003 16,145 14,902 67 795 3,947 35,856
September 30, 2003 16,382 15,464 67 794 3,971 36,678
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

Dec. 31, 2002 17,946 14,739 205 712 3,567 37,169
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

Last Updated: 2004-07-06

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