Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 10 April 2009

In the week ending 10 April 2009 the decrease of EUR 3 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 that came into effect on 27 September 2004).

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) decreased by EUR 10.4 billion to EUR 280.4 billion on account of customer and portfolio transactions and US dollar liquidity-providing transactions.

The liquidity-providing transactions were conducted by the Eurosystem in connection with the temporary reciprocal currency arrangements (swap lines) that the European Central Bank has with the Swiss National Bank and the Federal Reserve System. The EUR/CHF foreign exchange swap had no effect on the net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities of euro area residents denominated in euro (asset item 7) increased by EUR 2 billion to EUR 293.9 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) increased by EUR 9.3 billion to EUR 762.1 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) increased by EUR 4.1 billion to EUR 147.2 billion.

The Eurosystem’s net lending to credit institutions (asset item 5 minus liability items 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 4) increased by EUR 55.3 billion to EUR 646.2 billion. On Wednesday, 8 April 2009, a main refinancing operation of EUR 238.1 billion matured and a new one of EUR 237.6 billion was settled. On the same day, a supplementary longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 120.2 billion matured and a new one of EUR 131.8 billion, with a maturity of 35 days, was settled. On Thursday, 9 April 2009, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 50 billion matured and a new one of EUR 36.1 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 1.8 billion (compared with EUR 0.8 billion in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 21.5 billion (compared with EUR 78.5 billion in the preceding week).

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) increased by EUR 42.5 billion to EUR 232.1 billion.