KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves amounted to US$113.4 billion (US$1=RM4.731) as at March 15, 2024 compared with US$114.3 billion as at Feb 29, 2024.

The central bank said the reserves position was sufficient to finance 5.4 months of imports of goods and services and was 1.0 time the total short-term external debt.

The main components of the reserves were foreign currency reserves which stood at US$100.8 billion, followed by International Monetary Fund reserves (US$1.4 billion), special drawing rights (SDRs) (US$5.8 billion), gold (US$2.6 billion) and other reserve assets (US$2.8 billion).

Total assets stood at RM620.64 billion comprising gold, foreign exchange and other reserves, including SDRs (RM520.34 billion), Malaysian Government papers (RM13.0 billion), deposits with financial institutions (RM2.44 billion), loans and advances (RM24.55 billion), land and buildings (RM4.13 billion), and other assets (RM56.19 billion).

BNM said capital and liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100.0 million), reserves (RM189.39 billion), currency in circulation (RM168.01 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM150.93 billion), federal government deposits (RM9.05 billion) and other deposits (RM39.89 billion), Bank Negara papers (RM29.80 billion), SDRs allocation (RM29.74 billion), and other liabilities (RM3.73 billion). -Bernama