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Release at 8:15 a.m. EST
Ottawa, November 3, 2004
2004-067

Official International Reserves

- Official International Reserves 2004 -


The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves increased by an amount equivalent to US$197 million during October to US$36,457 million.

Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of October 31, 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 30,388
Deposits   1,881
Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves) 32,269
Gold1 46
Special drawing rights (SDRs) 880
Reserve position in the IMF 3,262
Total:  October 31, 2004 36,457
September 30, 2004 36,260
Net change 197
Details on Deposits
Other central banks/Bank for International Settlements 380
Banks headquartered in Canada 0
  Of which: located abroad 0

Banks headquartered abroad 1,501
  Of which: located in Canada 0 _____
Total 1,881

Details of Net Change

Reserves management operations2 -371
Gains and losses on gold sales 0
Net investment gains and losses

  Return on investments3 183
  Foreign currency debt charges -126
  Revaluation effects4 511
Net government operations5 0
Official intervention 0
Other transactions     0
Net change 197
Currency Composition of Deposits and Securities
US dollars 17,267
Euro 13,941
Yen 1,057
Other          4
Total 32,269

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 -3,490 -1,217 -3,039 -7,746
Interest -117 -199 -897 -1,213
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 -3,607 -1,416 -3,936 -8,959

Additional Information (Nominal Value)
Undrawn, unconditional credit lines with
banks headquartered outside Canada
6,000

Securities lent under repurchase agreements8 -2,442

Securities held under repurchase agreements9 100

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

  Forwards 0

  Swaps -1,314


Notes:

1. There were no sales of gold settled in October. On October 31, gold holdings stood at 0.1 million ounces. The valuation is based on the October 29, 2004, London p.m. fix of US$425.55 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 October Canada bills decreased by US$168 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$1,513 million. Cross-currency swaps of domestic obligations raised US$150 million, and a total of US$353 million equivalent in cross-currency swaps matured.

3. "Return on investments" comprises US$95 million of interest earned on investments and a US$88-million increase 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. In October the appreciation of the euro accounted for most of the revaluation effect.

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 December 3, 2004 (covering the period November 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
David Gamble
Public Affairs and Operations Division
(613) 996-8080 

For further information on the Exchange Fund Account, please consult the 2003 Report on the Management of Canada’s Official International Reserves, located at http://www.fin.gc.ca/toce/2004/oir04_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)

October 31, 2004

17,267

15,002

46

880

3,262

36,457

September 30, 2004

17,522

14,633

45

862

3,198

36,260

August 31, 2004

17,018

14,623

44

857

3,345

35,887

July 31, 2004

16,744

14,299

43

845

3,267

35,198

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


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: 2004-11-03

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