Saudi foreign exchange reserves increase by $ 22 billion in one year

29 10 2018

Saudi foreign exchange reserves amounted to 1.9 trillion RS at the end of September, compared to 1.828 billion RS at the end of the same month in 2017, registering a 4.5% increase, A value of 82.5 billion riyals in one year.

According to the analysis of the report group of the newspaper "Economic", based on data from the Saudi Monetary Agency "SAMA", the rise in Saudi reserve assets abroad, due to the rise foreign currencies and deposits, which increased by 103% Billions of riyals are expected to reach 659.6 billion riyals at the end of September 2018, against 556 billion riyals at the end of the same month in 2017.

SAMA's total reserve assets include gold, special drawing rights, IMF reserves, foreign currencies and deposits, as well as foreign securities investments.

On a monthly basis, Saudi reserve assets declined slightly to stand at 1,900 billion RS at the end of September, compared to 1,900 billion RS at the end of August, recording slight decrease of 0.5% to 8.8 billion riyals.

Investment in securities abroad reached 1.20 billion riyals, against 1.18 trillion riyals, an increase of 22.6 billion riyals, up 1.9%.

Investment in securities abroad accounted for 63.3% of Saudi Arabia's foreign exchange reserves.

Total foreign exchange and foreign deposits fell to 659.6 billion riyals at the end of September, compared with 691.5 billion riyals the previous month, a decrease of 4.6 percent and 31.9 billion riyals.

The IMF reserve amounted to 5.95 billion riyals at the end of last month, against 5.98 billion riyals a month earlier, or 0.4 percent and 26 million riyals.

Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) reached SR 30.08 billion at the end of last month, compared to SR 29.67 billion the previous month, at 1.4% and SR 403 million.

Saudi Arabia's reserves amounted to 1.62 billion SAR, the same level since February 2008.

The Saudi Monetary Agency (SAMA) has confirmed that Saudi Arabia's foreign investment in Saudi reserves is similar to that of global central banks.

Saudi Arabia ranked tenth among the largest investors in US Treasuries with a total of $ 169.5 billion (635.6 billion Riyals).

According to the "economic" analysis, based on US Treasury data, the August balance of Saudi Arabia was the highest ever recorded since the US Treasury Department announced the details of its bondholders in March 2015.

Saudi Arabia came after China, Japan, Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.

Saudi Arabia increased its investment in US Treasury bonds and bonds to reach 169.5 billion at the end of August 2018, against 166.8 billion riyals at the end of July, up 1.6% to 2.7 billion USD per month.

The stock of Treasury securities of the United States of Saudi Arabia rose 23% to 31.6 billion dollars at the end of August, against 137.9 billion dollars at the end of August 2017.

Saudi investments only in treasury bonds do not include other investments in securities, assets and cash in US dollars.

© 2018