XN000022-1983-05-03 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1983

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LOANS FOR PURCHASING FLATS IN THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME ROSE SUBSTANTIALLY BY 22.1 PER CENT WHILE THOSE FOR PURCHASING OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY GREW BY 10.9 PER CENT.

LOANS TO FINANCIAL CONCERNS (OTHER THAN BANKS AND DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES) ROSE RAPIDLY BY 12.4 PER CENT, AFTER A SHARP DECLINE IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1982.

FOREIGN CURRENCY POSITIONS

THERE WERE INCREASES IN BOTH THE SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE MONETARY SECTOR IN MARCH.

NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM $19.0 BILLION AT THE END OF FEBRUARY TO $20.8 BILLION AT THE END OF MARCH.

BANKS HAD NET LIABILITIES OF $13.1 BILLION AND DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES OF $7.7 BILLION AT THE END OF MARCH.

STATISTICS COLLECTED (ON THE BASIS OF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS) BY THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKING AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES SHOW THAT THE MONETARY SECTOR HAD, AT THE END OF MARCH, NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES OF $22 BILLION, WHICH WAS MORE THAN COVERED BY NET FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS OF $42 BILLION.

LIQUIDITY RATIO

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S. 18 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE) FOR ALL BANKS ROSE IN MARCH TO 45.2 PER CENT FROM 43.9 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY.

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S. 24A OF THE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ORDINANCE) FOR ALL DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES DECLINED TO 58.3 PER CENT FROM 60 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBER OF REPORTING LICENSED BANKS REMAINED UNCHANGED AT 128.

THE NUMBERS OF LICENSED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES AND REGISTERED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES WERE ALSO UNCHANGED, AT 21 AND 335 RESPECTIVELY,

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