Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 1 July 2005

Items not related to monetary policy operations

In the week ending 1 July 2005, the net increase of EUR 11.7 billion in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) mainly reflected quarterly revaluation adjustments, after sales of gold by three national central banks of the Eurosystem (consistent with the Central Bank Gold Agreement of 27 September 2004).

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 9.6 billion to EUR 168.2 billion. The increase was due mainly to the effects of the quarterly revaluation of assets and liabilities.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities of euro area residents denominated in euro (asset item 7) increased by EUR 1.5 billion to EUR 85.7 billion, in large part due to quarterly revaluation adjustments. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) rose by EUR 5.6 billion to EUR 526 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) decreased by EUR 15.2 billion to EUR 68.6 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) decreased by EUR 1.9 billion to EUR 398.2 billion. On Wednesday, 29 June 2005, a main refinancing operation of EUR 310 billion matured and a new one of EUR 308 billion was settled. On Thursday, 30 June 2005, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 30 billion matured and a new one of EUR 30 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.2 billion (compared with virtually nil in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was virtually nil (approximately the same as in the preceding week).

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) increased by EUR 7.4 billion to EUR 154 billion.

Quarter-end revaluation of the Eurosystem’s assets and liabilities

In line with the Eurosystem’s harmonised accounting rules, gold, foreign exchange, securities holdings and financial instruments of the Eurosystem are revalued at market rates and prices as at the end of each quarter. The net impact of the revaluation on each balance sheet item as at 30 June 2005 is shown in the additional column “Difference compared to last week due to revaluations”. The gold price and the principal exchange rates used for the revaluation of balances were as follows:

Gold: EUR 361.231 per fine oz.

USD: 1.2092 per EUR

JPY: 133.95 per EUR

Special drawing rights: EUR 1.2059 per SDR