XN000022-1983-12-02 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1983

FOREIGN CURRENCY POSITION

THE SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY POSITION OF THE MONETARY SECTOR SHOWED A NET LIABILITY OF $23.2 BILLION AT THE END OF OCTOBER, COMPARED WITH $28.2 BILLION AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

BANKS AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES HAD NET LIABILITIES OF $17.0 BILLION AND $6.2 BILLION RESPECTIVELY.

STATISTICS COLLECTED (ON THE BASIS OF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS) BY THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKING AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES SHOW THAT THE MONETARY SECTOR HAD NET SPOT FOREIGN CURRENCY LIABILITIES OF $26.2 BILLION AND THAT THESE WERE MORE THAM COVERED BY NET FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY ASSETS OF $49.1 BILLION.

LIQUIDITY RATIOS

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN S.18 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE) FOR ALL BANKS ROSE TO 52.9 PER CENT FROM 49.7 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER.

THE AVERAGE LIQUIDITY RATIO (AS DEFINED IN 5.24A OF THE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANY ORDINANCE) FOR ALL DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES FELL TO 67.7 PER CENT FROM 68.0 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER.

NUMBER OF REPORTING INSTITUTIONS

THE NUMBER OF LICENSED BANKS IN OPERATION INCREASED BY 1 TO 134. THE NUMBER OF LICENSED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES WAS UNCHANGED AT 30 AND THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES DECREASED BY 1 TO 318.

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