Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 8 May 2009

In the week ending 8 May 2009 the decrease of EUR 12 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 1 billion to EUR 263.9 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) decreased by EUR 1.7 billion to EUR 292.4 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) increased by EUR 0.3 billion to EUR 759.5 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) decreased by EUR 26 billion to EUR 130.7 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 9.2 billion to EUR 578 billion. On Wednesday, 6 May 2009, a main refinancing operation of EUR 233.2 billion matured and a new one of EUR 234.2 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was virtually nil (compared with EUR 2.8 billion in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 75.3 billion (compared with EUR 67.8 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 14.8 billion to EUR 188.8 billion.