Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 3 August 2007

Items not related to monetary policy operations

In the week ending 3 August 2007, the decrease of EUR 29 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected the sale of gold by one Eurosystem central bank (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) remained virtually unchanged at EUR 144.4 billion.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities of euro area residents denominated in euro (asset item 7) decreased by EUR 1.1 billion to EUR 93.1 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) increased by EUR 6 billion to EUR 645 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) fell by EUR 18.5 billion to EUR 45.1 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 16.2 billion to EUR 447.9 billion. On Wednesday, 1 August 2007, a main refinancing operation of EUR 315.5 billion matured and a new one of EUR 298 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was virtually nil (compared with EUR 0.2 billion in the preceding week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 0.1 billion (compared with EUR 1.6 billion 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) decreased by EUR 5.6 billion to EUR 189.6 billion.