Qatar - International reserves and foreign currency liquidity of the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) jumped last March to reach QR237.095bn, an increase of 12.51%, compared to QR210.716bn in the same month last year.

The figures issued by the QCB Sunday showed an increase in its official reserves at the end of last Month, compared to the end of the same month last year, by about QR25.486bn, to reach QR178.885bn, driven by the increase in the central balances of bonds and foreign treasury bills.

The official reserves consist of major components, which are foreign bonds and bills, cash balances with foreign banks, gold holdings, special drawing rights deposits, and Qatar's share in the International Monetary Fund.

In addition to the official reserves, there are other liquid assets (Foreign Currency Deposits), so the two together constitute what is known as the total foreign reserves.

On the other hand, gold stocks increased by the end of April 2023 by about QR9.603bn to reach QR21.378bn.

Meanwhile, the State of Qatar's shares of SDR deposits at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) decreased by the end of March 2023 with a value of QR131mn compared to April 2022, reaching QR5.320bn.

Balances in foreign banks also declined by about QR689mn to reach QR15.797bn at the end of April 2023.

Separately, the QCB issued treasury bills and sukuk for tenors of a week, a month, three months, six months, and nine months worth QR5bn. The offered bids reached QR11.75bn.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account on Sunday, the QCB said the issuance of the treasury bills came as follows: QR1bn for one week tenor with a 5.5050% interest rate; QR1bn for one month tenor for a 5.5625% interest rate; QR1bn for three months tenor for a 5.6450% interest rate; QR1bn for six months tenor for a 5.7025% interest rate, and QR1bn for nine months tenor for 5.7500% rate.

© Gulf Times Newspaper 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).