MANILA -- Preliminary data showed that the country's gross international reserves (GIR) rose to USD78.46 billion as of end-December 2018, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Officer-in-Charge Diwa C. Guinigundo announced in a statement on Monday.
This level was higher than the USD75.68 billion level recorded in November 2018, due mainly to inflows arising from the BSP's foreign exchange operations, net foreign currency deposits by the National Government (NG) and revaluation gains from BSP's gold holdings resulting from the increase in the price of gold in the international market. However, the increase in reserves was partially tempered by payments made by the NG for servicing its foreign exchange obligations.
The end-December 2018 level of GIR continues to serve as an ample external liquidity buffer and is equivalent to 6.9 months' worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It is also equivalent to 5.8 times the country's short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4 times based on residual maturity.
Net international reserves (NIR), which refer to the difference between the BSP's GIR and total short-term liabilities, likewise increased by USD2.78 billion to USD78.44 billion as of end-December 2018 from the end-November 2018 level of USD75.66 billion. (BSP PR)
