European Central Bank weekly balance sheet shows EUR 19.462bn fall in total assets driven by EUR 24.204bn drop in monetary policy securities

The European Central Bank published its weekly consolidated financial statement, reporting total assets and liabilities of EUR 6,274,536 million, down EUR 19,462 million from the previous week due to transactions. The decline was driven by a EUR 24,204 million reduction in securities held for monetary policy purposes and a EUR 53,281 million fall in the deposit facility, partly offset by higher banknotes in circulation and larger liabilities to other euro area residents. On the asset side, securities of euro area residents denominated in euro decreased EUR 23,955 million to EUR 4,310,622 million, with monetary policy holdings at EUR 4,019,720 million and other securities up EUR 248 million. Other claims on euro area credit institutions denominated in euro increased EUR 4,810 million to EUR 51,288 million, while lending to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations edged down EUR 40 million to EUR 24,458 million, as longer-term refinancing operations fell EUR 295 million despite a EUR 127 million rise in main refinancing operations. On the liability side, liabilities to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations fell EUR 49,169 million to EUR 2,870,044 million, with current accounts up EUR 4,113 million to EUR 165,634 million and the deposit facility at EUR 2,704,410 million; liabilities to other euro area residents rose EUR 22,195 million to EUR 199,226 million, including a EUR 18,826 million increase in general government deposits to EUR 118,845 million. The ECB indicated that annexes and commentary would be published on 3 June 2025.