Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 26 March 2010

Items not related to monetary policy operations

In the week ending 26 March 2010 the decrease of EUR 1 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected the sale of gold coins by one Eurosystem central bank.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 0.2 billion to EUR 161.3 billion on account of customer and portfolio transactions.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of securities other than those held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.2) rose by EUR 1.6 billion to EUR 299.4 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) increased by EUR 3.6 billion to EUR 791.3 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) rose by EUR 6.7 billion to EUR 120.2 billion.

Items related to monetary policy operations

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 16.8 billion to EUR 511.5 billion. On Wednesday, 24 March 2010, a main refinancing operation of EUR 79 billion matured and a new one of EUR 81 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was virtually nil (compared with EUR 0.1 billion in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 213.9 billion (compared with EUR 195.1 billion in the preceding week).

The holdings by the Eurosystem of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) increased by EUR 1.1 billion to EUR 43.5 billion in the week ending 26 March 2010.

Current accounts of euro area credit institutions

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) decreased by EUR 23.2 billion to EUR 199.9 billion.