Central bank foreign exchange reserves down after payments to EC, IMF

The foreign currencies reserves of the National Bank of Romania (BNR, the central bank) stood at 30.6 billion euros on January 31, down 1.6 billion from 32.2 billion euros at end-December, according to data released on Monday by BNR. The outflow included payments to the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Photo credit: (c) LUCIAN TUDOSE / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

January inflows totalled 1.593 billion euros, representing changes in the foreign exchange reserve requirements of the credit institutions, inflows into the European Commission's account and into the Ministry of Public Finances' accounts representing European funds.

Meanwhile, outflows amounted to 3.214 billion euros, representing changes in the foreign exchange reserve requirements of the credit institutions, interest and principal payments on foreign currency public debt, etc. The payments on the foreign currency public debt it include interest and principal instalments of 1.547 billion euros for the loan from the European Commission, as well as principal instalments equivalent to 240 million euros for the loan from the IMF.

The gold stock of BNR stood unchanged at 103.7 tonnes; following the evolutions of the international price of gold, its value amounted to 3.718 billion euros.

Thus, Romania's international reserves (foreign currencies and gold) at end-January were 34.313 billion euros, down from 35.506 billion on December 31.

Payments due on public and publicly guaranteed foreign currency denominated debt in February amount to approximately 578 million euros, BNR data also show. AGERPRES