Press releases are short texts about important news from Danmarks Nationalbank. Press releases are primarily aimed at journalists or those interested in instant and direct news updates, for example on interest rate changes.

About Danmarks Nationalbank

Foreign Exchange and Liquidity and Monthly Balance Sheet, March 2019

​In March 2019, the foreign-exchange reserve decreased by kr. 1.5 billion to kr. 454.1 billion.


Share

THE FOREIGN-EXCHANGE RESERVE

In March 2019, the foreign-exchange reserve decreased by kr. 1.5 billion to kr. 454.1 billion. The decrease reflects Danmarks Nationalbank's net sale of foreign exchange for kr. 1.3 billion, and the central government's net repayment of foreign debt for kr. 0.1 billion, cf. table 1.

In March, Danmarks Nationalbank has not intervened in the foreign exchange market.

Danmarks Nationalbank's net foreign-exchange purchases and the change in the foreign-exchange reserve - table 1

Kr. billionMarch 2019January 2019 - March 2019
Danmarks Nationalbank's interventions* to purchase foreign exchange, net0.0-1.9
Other**-1.3-2.8
Danmarks Nationalbank's net foreign-exchange purchases-1.3-4.7
The central government's net foreign borrowing***-0.1-0.3
Change in the foreign-exchange reserve-1.5-5.0

Note: Details may not add because of rounding and previously published figure may have been revised. All transactions as per settlement date.

* Intervention takes place when Danmarks Nationalbank purchases and sells foreign exchange for Danish kroner in the foreign-exchange market in order to stabilise the exchange rate.

** Comprises e.g. interest accrued on the foreign-exchange reserve, the central government's net payments in foreign exchange, EU-payments, and changes in the banks' deposits in euro-denominated accounts at Danmarks Nationalbank.

*** Including net payments to the central government in foreign exchange as a result of currency swaps.

DEVELOPMENT IN LIQUIDITY

In March, the central government's net financing requirement amounted to kr. -34.0 billion. Since the turn of the year, the central government's net financing requirement has been kr. -23.2 billion, cf. table 2.

The net position of the banks and mortgage-credit institutes vis-à-vis Danmarks Nationalbank decreased by kr. 16.1 billion in March, to an outstanding amount of kr. 203.5 billion. In March, transactions by the central government decreased the net position by kr. 14.6 billion.

Impact of various factors on the net position of the banks and mortgage-credit institutes via-a-vis Danmarks Nationalbank - table 2

Kr. billionMarch 2019January 2019 - March 2019
The central government's net financing-34.0-23.2
Redemption on domestic central-government debt*6.020.4
Net bond purchases by government funds, own portfolio and financing of social housing0.510.5
Other**0.20.5
The central government's gross domestic financing requirement-27.38.3
The central government's gross domestic borrowing***-12.714.1
The central government's liquidity impact-14.6-5.8
Danmarks Nationalbank's net foreign-exchange purchases-1.3-4.7
Danmarks Nationalbank's net bond purchases0.20.1
Other factors****-0.43.1
Change in net position-16.1-7.3

Note: Details may not add because of rounding and previously published figure may have been revised. All transactions as per settlement date.

* Including krone-denominated payments by the central government in currency swaps.

** Comprises foreign net financing requirement and changes in net collateral for the government’s swap portfolio.

*** Gross long-term borrowing, net short-term borrowing and krone-denominated payments to the central government in currency swaps.

**** Comprises e.g. changes in banknotes and coins in circulation.

DANMARKS NATIONALBANK'S INTEREST RATES

Since 6 July 2012 the discount rate has been 0,00 pct. p.a., since 1 June 2012 the current-account interest rate has been 0,00 pct. p.a., since 20 January 2015 the lending rate has been 0,05 pct. p.a. and since 8 January 2016 the rate of interest on certificates of deposit has been -0,65 pct. p.a.

Enquiries can be directed to press advicer Ole Mikkelsen on tel. +45 3363 6027.

BALANCE SHEET OF DANMARKS NATIONALBANK 31 MARCH 2019

Assets 2019 2019 2018
1000 kr.31/0328/0231/03
Stock of gold17,840,84017,840,84017,220,284
Foreign assets421,283,557422,652,763435,890,906
Claims on the International Monetary Fund17,344,33517,344,33415,266,577
Claims related to banks' and mortgage credit institutes' TARGET accounts in ECB45,27249,33041,565
Monetary-policy lending--5,500,000
Other lending1,609,2241,484,1742,257,457
- Banks'1)1,609,2241,484,1742,257,457
- Miscellaneous loans---
Domestic bonds32,667,22732,458,00732,758,777
Financial fixed assets, etc.184,405184,405184,063
Tangible and intangible fixed assets685,824685,041628,787
Other assets592,756603,9001,696,192
492,253,440493,302,794511,444,608

1) Including loans financing decentralised banknote holdings.

Liabilities 2019 2019 2018
1000 kr.31/0328/0231/03
Banknotes62,757,60962,649,79763,966,227
Coins6,076,1556,076,6686,015,316
Monetary-policy deposits203,514,147219,624,547129,571,484
- Current accounts31,036,14730,951,54728,119,484
- Certificates of deposit172,478,000188,673,000101,452,000
Other deposits12,048,03211,757,20116,383,518
- Deposits related to banks' and mortgage credit institutes' TARGET accounts in ECB45,27249,33041,565
- Other deposits from banks' and mortgage credit institutes'1,785,4491,445,393-
- Miscellaneous deposits10,217,31110,262,47816,341,953
Central government117,478,271102,891,281206,678,896
Foreign liabilities2,394,1892,280,1891,481,869
Counterpart of Special Drawing Rights allocated by the IMF (SDR)13,880,04913,880,04913,540,981
Other liabilities415,779429,63292,887
Capital and reserves73,689,20973,713,43073,713,430
492,253,440493,302,794511,444,608

Note: The monthly balance sheet is calculated at beginning of year values +/- accumulated transaction values. The monthly balance does not include value adjustments and accruals, as these are only calculated at year-end, cf. Danmarks Nationalbank's accounting principles.