Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 6 October 2017: commentary

In the week ending 6 October 2017 gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) decreased by EUR 3 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 2 billion to EUR 253.7 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 14.7 billion to EUR 104.6 billion. Information on the Eurosystem’s open market operations is available at http://www.ecb.europa.eu/mopo/implement/omo/html/index.en.html.

Base money (liability items 1, 2.1 and 2.2) increased by EUR 97.3 billion to EUR 3,065.1 billion.

The table below provides the detailed breakdown of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) into the different portfolios. All portfolios are accounted for at amortised cost.