Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 17 March 2017

Items not related to monetary policy operations

In the week ending 17 March 2017 gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) remained unchanged.

The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 0.6 billion to EUR 282.5 billion.

US dollar liquidity operations

The above liquidity-providing transactions were conducted by the Eurosystem in connection with the standing swap arrangement that the European Central Bank has with the Federal Reserve System.

The holdings by the Eurosystem of marketable securities other than those held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.2) increased by EUR 0.3 billion to EUR 309.9 billion. Banknotes in circulation (liability item 1) decreased by EUR 0.8 billion to EUR 1,112.9 billion. Liabilities to general government (liability item 5.1) rose by EUR 35.9 billion to EUR 178.4 billion.

Items related to monetary policy operations

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 36.6 billion to EUR 89.2 billion. On Wednesday, 15 March 2017, a main refinancing operation (asset item 5.1) of EUR 23.9 billion matured and a new one of EUR 26.5 billion, with a maturity of one week, was settled.

Recourse to the marginal lending facility (asset item 5.5) was EUR 0.2 billion (compared with EUR 0.5 billion in the preceding week), while recourse to the deposit facility (liability item 2.2) was EUR 491.3 billion (compared with EUR 525.5 billion in the preceding week). The holdings by the Eurosystem of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) increased by EUR 18.8 billion to EUR 1,862.9 billion. The table below provides the detailed breakdown of asset item 7.1 into the different portfolios. All portfolios are accounted for at amortised cost.

Current accounts of euro area credit institutions

As a result of all transactions, the current account position of credit institutions with the Eurosystem (liability item 2.1) increased by EUR 18 billion to EUR 984.4 billion.