XN000022-1981-04-04 — Page 8

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SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1981

FOREIGN ASSETS

THE NET IDENTIFIABLE FOREIGN ASSETS OF ALL BANKS FELL IN FEBRUARY BY $1 736 MILLION, WHILE THOSE OF DTCS ROSE BY $447 MILLION, SUGGESTING A NET OUTFLOW OF FUNDS FROM THE HONG KONG MONETARY SECTOR OF $1 289 MILLION, AS COMPARED WITH AN OUTFLOW OF $974 MILLION IN JANUARY.

BALANCE SHEET RATIOS

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO FOR ALL BANKS IN HONG KONG FELL IN FEBRUARY TO 46,1 PER CENT FROM 46.3 PER CENT IN JANUARY. THE LOAN/DEPOSIT RATIO, HOWEVER, ROSE FURTHER TO 112.1 PER CENT AT THE END OF FEBRUARY FROM 108.8 PER CENT AT THE END OF JANUARY, REFLECTING THE FALL IN BANK DEPOSITS DURING THE MONTH,

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO FOR ALL DTCS ROSE IN FEBRUARY TO 45.0 PER CENT FROM 44.2 PER CENT IN JANUARY. THE LOAN/DEPOS IT RATIO FELL TO 67.7 PER CENT AT THE END OF FEBRUARY FROM 70.9 PER CENT AT THE END OF JANUARY, REFLECTING THE RAPID EXPANSION IN DEPOSITS WITH DTCS DURING THE MONTH.

J

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

ONE MORE BANK BEGAN TO REPORT IN FEBRUARY, BRINGING THE IR TOTAL TO 115. THE NUMBER OF REPORTING DTCS ROSÉ BY 5 DURING THE MONTH TO 317.

THE DETAILED FIGURES FOR FEBRUARY 1981, AND COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS MONTHS, ARE SET OUT IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE:

MONEY AND BANKING FIGURES

—

END OF FEBRUARY 1981 (IN $MILLION)

FIGURES FOR EARLIER MONTHS

(% CHANGE):

FEB 1981

JAN 1981

NOV 1980

FEB 1980

Mi

23 615

26 607 (-11.2%)

M2

101 265

102 745 (-1.49%)

MG

147 753

146 430 (+0.9%)

24 394 (-3.2%)

95 058 (+6.5%)

134 117 (+10.2%)

BACKS

21 647 (+9.1%)

78 219 (+29.5%)

107 770 (+37.1%)