Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 14 August 2009

In the week ending 14 August 2009 gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) remained unchanged.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 0.6 billion to EUR 198.7 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 securities other than those held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.2) increased by EUR 1.2 billion to EUR 304.5 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) decreased by EUR 2.2 billion to EUR 772.8 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) decreased by EUR 1.1 billion to EUR 113.3 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 77 billion to EUR 616.6 billion. On Wednesday, 12 August 2009, a main refinancing operation of EUR 80.8 billion matured and a new one of EUR 73.6 billion was settled. On the same day, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 38.3 billion, with a maturity of one month, matured and a new one of EUR 30.7 billion was settled. On Thursday, 13 August 2009, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 33.7 billion, with a maturity of three months, matured and a new one of EUR 13 billion was settled. On the same day, a longer-term refinancing operation of EUR 10.7 billion, with a maturity of six months, matured and a new one of EUR 11.9 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.2 billion (compared with EUR 0.1 billion in the previous week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 110.8 billion (compared with EUR 222 billion in the preceding week).

The holdings by the Eurosystem of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) increased by EUR 1.5 billion to EUR 7 billion in the week ending 14 August 2009.

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) increased by EUR 82.1 billion to EUR 264.2 billion.