Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 24 April 2009

In the week ending 24 April 2009 the decrease of EUR 823 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected the sale of gold by two Eurosystem central banks (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 11.8 billion to EUR 265.4 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 1.1 billion to EUR 294.0 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) decreased by EUR 3.9 billion to EUR 752.7 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) increased by EUR 2.6 billion to EUR 143.9 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) decreased by EUR 14.4 billion to EUR 645.1 billion. On Wednesday, 22 April 2009, a main refinancing operation of EUR 249.4 billion matured and a new one of EUR 244.1 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.1 billion (approximately the same as in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 31.1 billion (compared with EUR 21.9 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) decreased by EUR 7.1 billion to EUR 249.1 billion.

It should be noted in respect of the consolidated weekly financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 17 April 2009 (published on 21 April 2009) that other assets (asset item 9) should have shown a balance of EUR 238,965 million, instead of EUR 238,689 million, and that other liabilities (liability item 10) should have read EUR 162,964 million, instead of EUR 162,688 million.