Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 1 August 2008

In the week ending 1 August 2008, the decrease of EUR 26 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected the sale of gold by one Eurosystem central bank (consistent with the Central Bank Gold Agreement that came into effect on 27 September 2004) and a purchase of gold coin by another Eurosystem central bank.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) decreased by EUR 0.1 billion to EUR 166 billion on account of customer and portfolio transactions. On Thursday, 31 July 2008, a US dollar liquidity-providing operation of USD 25 billion matured and a new operation of USD 25 billion was settled, with a maturity of 28 days. These operations were conducted by the Eurosystem in connection with the temporary reciprocal currency arrangement (swap line) between the ECB and the Federal Reserve System.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities of euro area residents denominated in euro (asset item 7) fell by EUR 0.4 billion to EUR 111.7 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) rose by EUR 4.8 billion to EUR 688.6 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) decreased by EUR 21.4 billion to EUR 59.5 billion.

The Eurosystem’s net lending to credit institutions (asset item 5 minus liability items 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 4) decreased by EUR 9.5 billion to EUR 465.9 billion. On Wednesday, 30 July 2008, a main refinancing operation of EUR 175.5 billion matured and a new one of EUR 166 billion was settled. On Thursday, 31 July 2008, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 50 billion matured and a new one of EUR 50 billion was settled. Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) remained virtually unchanged at close to zero, while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 0.1 billion, which was approximately the same as in the preceding week.

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) increased by EUR 6.2 billion to EUR 214.7 billion.

It should be noted with respect to the consolidated weekly financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 25 July 2008 (published on 29 July 2008) that liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in euro (liability item 6) should have shown a balance of EUR 77,912 million, instead of EUR 77,986 million, and that liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in foreign currency (liability item 8) should have read EUR 16,409 million, instead of EUR 16,335 million.

Thus, the actual week-on-week changes in these positions are increases of EUR 956 million and EUR 1,916 million respectively.