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Release at 8:15 a.m. EST
Ottawa, November 3, 2006
2006-062

Official International Reserves

- Official International Reserves 2006 -


The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves decreased by an amount equivalent to US$374 million during October to US$35,643 million.

Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of October 31, 2006, 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 29,712
Deposits   3,976
Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves) 33,688
Gold1 66
Special drawing rights (SDRs) 944
Reserve position in the IMF  945
Total:  October 31, 2006 35,643
September 30, 2006  36,017

Net change

-374

Details on Deposits
Other central banks/Bank for International Settlements 572
Banks headquartered in Canada 0
   Of which: located abroad

0

Banks headquartered abroad

3,404

   Of which: located in Canada

0

      

Total

3,976


Details of Net Change

Reserves management operations2 -452
Gains and losses on gold sales 0
Net investment gains and losses

   Return on investments3 107
   Foreign currency debt charges -150
   Revaluation effects4 121
Net government operations5 0
Official intervention 0
Other transactions     0

Net change

-374

Currency Composition of Deposits and Securities
US dollars 16,256
Euro 16,921
Yen

   511

Total

33,688


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

0-1
month
1-3
months
3-12
months
Total

Foreign currency securities6 Principal -908 -1,216 -1,864 -3,988
Interest -68 -225 -1,104 -1,397
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 -976 -1,441 -2,968 -5,385

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

Securities lent under repurchase agreements7 -2,218

Securities held under repurchase agreements8 2,201

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

   Forwards 0

   Swaps 2,872


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 31, 2006, London p.m. fix of US$603.75 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$89 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$1,673 million. Cross-currency swaps of domestic obligations raised an equivalent of US$301 million, and a total of US$664 million equivalent in cross-currency swaps matured.

3. "Return on investments" comprises US$103 million of interest earned on investments and a US$4-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 revaluation effect was mainly due to the appreciation of the euro.

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

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

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

8. 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 5, 2006 (covering the period November 2006).

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

___________________________________
For further information, media may contact:

Clifton Lee-Sing
Financial Markets Division Department of Finance
613-943-1944

David Gamble
Media Relations Department of Finance
613-996-8080 

For further information on the Exchange Fund Account, please consult the Report on the Management of Canada’s Official International Reserves—January 1, 2005 – March 31, 2006, located at www.fin.gc.ca/toce/2006/oir06_e.html.

If you would like to receive automatic e-mail notification of all news releases, please visit the Department of Finance website at 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, 2006 16,256 17,432 66 944 945 35,643
September 30, 2006 16,755 17,166 65 941 1,090 36,017
August 31, 2006 17,010 16,727 68 949 1,099 35,853
July 31, 2006 17,712 16,572 69 942 1,096 36,391
June 30, 2006 17,671 16,143 67 939 1,092 35,912
May 31, 2006 17,846 15,715 71 949 1,103 35,684
April 30, 2006 18,660 14,997 70 931 1,058 35,716
March 31, 2006 20,204 13,812 63 917 1,038 36,034
February 28, 2006 16,707 13,974 61 908 1,034 32,684
January 31, 2006 16,813 14,135 62 907 1,042 32,959
December 31, 2005 16,842 13,822 56 897 1,401 33,018
November 30, 2005 16,646 14,566 54 894 2,039 34,199
October 31, 2005 16,909 14,214 51 898 2,142 34,214

Dec. 31, 2004 14,426 15,740 48 925 3,327 34,466
Dec. 31, 2003 15,575 15,961 45 838 3,848 36,267
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


Last Updated: 2006-11-03

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