The official reserve assets in February declined by US$60.68 million to US$4.542,02 billion after hitting a record high in January, IPN reports.
According to the National Bank of Moldova, the decline was due to depreciation of the currencies that form part of the official reserve assets (US$47.52m) and to the payments made to service the external public debt of the Republic of Moldova, in the amount of US$17.24 million. There were also reassessed the securities held in the investment portfolio (US$8.53m).
Among the factors that lead to the decline were also the net outflows related to the required foreign currency reserve ratio of licensed banks, to the value of US$6.47 million lei, the payments made by the Ministry of Finance in the amount of US$2.67 million and the net outflows from the account of the Office for the Management of External Assistance Programs totaling US$0.32 million.
The increase in the official reserve assets was influenced interventions on the domestic currency market in the form of currency purchases totaling US$12 million and to the revenues from the management of the currency reserves totaling US$6.82 million. The situation was also influenced by the loans and grants in favor of the Ministry of Finance for investment projects, in the amount of US$2.91 million, and by other net inflows to the value of US$0.34 million.
At the end of January, the official reserves assets came to US$4.602,7 billion, up US$128.53 million on December 30, 2022.