BNR's foreign exchange reserves down to EUR 34,123 million, at end of March 2020

On 31 March 2020, the National Bank of Romania's (BNR) foreign exchange reserves decreased by 4.76 percent, to EUR 34,123 million, compared to EUR 35,830 million on 29 February 2020, according to a release of the central bank sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

In March, EUR 3,252 million worth of inflows were recorded representing changes in credit institutions' foreign currency-denominated required reserves, inflows into the Ministry of Public Finance's accounts, inflows into the European Commission's account and other.

Moreover, also recorded were EUR 4,959 million worth of outflows representing the reduction in credit institutions' foreign currency-denominated required reserves, interest payments and principal repayments on foreign currency public debt, and other.

The BNR mentions that in the interval 24 February - 23 March 2020 is the maintenance period when the decision of the National Bank of Romania's Board to cut the minimum reserve requirement ratio on foreign currency-denominated liabilities of credit institutions to 6 percent from 8 percent starts to be implemented.

The gold stock remained steady at 103.6 tonnes. However, following the change in the international price of gold, its value amounted to EUR 4,883 million.

On 31 March 2020, Romania's international reserves (foreign currencies and gold) stood at EUR 39,006 million, compared to EUR 40,752 million on 29 February 2020.

In April 2020, the payments due on the foreign currency-denominated public and publicly guaranteed debt amount to approximately EUR 250 million.