Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 16 November 2007

In the week ending 16 November 2007, the decrease of EUR 53 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected the sale of gold by one Eurosystem central bank (consistent with the Central Bank Gold Agreement of 27 September 2004) and a net purchase of gold coin by another Eurosystem central bank.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 0.1 billion to EUR 142.1 billion on account of customer and portfolio transactions.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities of euro area residents denominated in euro (asset item 7) decreased by EUR 1.4 billion to EUR 95.1 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) decreased by EUR 1.5 billion to EUR 640.6 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) fell by EUR 0.4 billion to EUR 45.4 billion.

The Eurosystem’s net lending to credit institutions (asset item 5 minus liability items 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 4) increased by EUR 23 billion to EUR 447.7 billion. On Wednesday, 14 November 2007, a main refinancing operation of EUR 160 billion matured and a new one of EUR 182 billion was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.9 billion (compared with virtually nil in the preceding week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 0.2 billion (compared with EUR 0.3 billion in the preceding week).

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) increased by EUR 24.3 billion to EUR 215.1 billion.