European Central Bank publishes balance sheet data showing EUR 5.98 trillion total assets after EUR 145.1 billion quarter end decline

The European Central Bank published balance sheet data showing total assets and liabilities of EUR 5,983,015 million. Compared with the previous week, transactions increased the balance sheet by EUR 10,895 million, but quarter-end adjustments reduced it by EUR 145,140 million overall. On the asset side, the largest quarter-end movement was a EUR 159,675 million fall in gold and gold receivables to EUR 1,232,854 million. Claims on non-euro area residents denominated in foreign currency rose to EUR 523,890 million, while lending to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations fell by EUR 6,935 million to EUR 25,463 million, driven mainly by a EUR 6,358 million decline in main refinancing operations. Securities held for monetary policy purposes stood at EUR 3,439,589 million after declines from both transactions and quarter-end adjustments, while other claims on euro area credit institutions rose by EUR 11,469 million to EUR 29,917 million. On the liability side, liabilities to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations increased by EUR 17,814 million to EUR 2,368,780 million, including a EUR 15,645 million rise in current accounts and a EUR 2,169 million increase in the deposit facility. Banknotes in circulation rose by EUR 2,723 million to EUR 1,632,010 million. Revaluation accounts fell by EUR 150,595 million to EUR 1,208,186 million, while liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in euro decreased by EUR 15,608 million to EUR 164,225 million.