As of the end of September, the official reserve assets constituted $4.227 billion, by $45.17 million compared to August 30, the National Bank reported.

The increase is partially due to commercial banks consolidating reserve requirements by $61.97 million, in addition to the National Bank’s interventions on the foreign exchange market to buy foreign currencies totaling $28.6 million. Also, the Ministry of Finance received the third installment, totaling $26.64 million, of the IMF loan under the Extended Credit Facility and the Extended Fund Facility.

On the minus side of the balance sheet, official reserve assets contracted due to depreciations of foreign currencies against the US dollar, to a total of $50.63 million. Also, $14.92 million went out in external debt service payments, and another $8.06 in Minister of Finance payments.