BDL foreign assets up

Lending to financial sector
up by 16 percent in 2012

Total assets of the Central Bank (BDL) reached $76.6 billion at end-2012, up by nine percent from end-2011. Foreign assets grew to $35.74 billion, posting a year-on-year growth of 10.8 percent.

Gold holdings increased by six percent to $14.47 billion with the rise in gold prices. The securities portfolio fell to $10.8 billion – down by 6.7 percent – while lending to the financial sector grew by 16 percent to reach a value of $1.6 billion at end-2012.

On the liabilities side, currency in circulation outside the BDL totaled $2.4 billion, up from $2.2 billion at end-2011. Financial sector deposits reached $54.37 billion, representing a yearly growth of 11 percent. Public sector deposits also grew by 11 percent to $5.9 billion.