Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 25 August 2017

Items not related to monetary policy operations

In the week ending 25 August 2017 gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) decreased by EUR 14 million owing to the sale of gold by one Eurosystem national central bank for the purpose of producing a commemorative coin.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) fell by EUR 0.5 billion to EUR 259.8 billion.

US dollar liquidity operations

The above liquidity-providing transactions were conducted by the Eurosystem in connection with the standing swap arrangement that the European Central Bank has with the Federal Reserve System.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities other than those held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.2) remained virtually unchanged at EUR 286.1 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) decreased by EUR 4.2 billion to EUR 1,139.9 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) increased by EUR 30.6 billion to EUR 225.4 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) rose by EUR 7.1 billion to EUR 183.1 billion. On Wednesday, 23 August 2017, a main refinancing operation (asset item 5.1) of EUR 4.8 billion matured and a new one of EUR 7.3 billion, with a maturity of seven days, was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.3 billion (compared with EUR 0.2 billion in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 593.2 billion (compared with EUR 597.7 billion in the preceding week). The holdings by the Eurosystem of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) increased by EUR 10.8 billion to EUR 2,160.1 billion. The table below provides the detailed breakdown of asset item 7.1 into the different portfolios. All portfolios are accounted for at amortised cost.

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 7.8 billion to EUR 1,230.8 billion.