US dollar share of global FX reserves slips in Q4: IMF

The US dollar's share of currency reserves reported to the International Monetary Fund fell to 60.8% in the fourth quarter last year from the previous quarter, data released on Tuesday showed.
The share of dollar reserves has declined for two consecutive quarters, but has remained the largest among all currencies. The data covers reserves prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
IMF data also showed that global reserves rose to $11.829 trillion, up 1.5% from the third quarter, and more than 3% higher from that of the fourth quarter of 2018.
Reserves held in US dollars totalled $6.745 trillion, or roughly 60.8% of allocated reserves in the last quarter of 2019. In the third quarter, dollar reserves were $6.725 trillion, or 61.5% of total allocated reserves of $10.93 trillion.
Global reserves are assets of central banks held in different currencies, primarily used to support their liabilities. Central banks sometimes have used reserves to help support their respective currencies.
The euro's share of reserves was steady at 20.5% in the fourth quarter, compared with 20.2% in the third. The Chinese yuan's share was also little changed at 1.9% of total allocated reserves.
The yen's share of currency reserves was likewise stable at 5.6% in the fourth quarter, unchanged from the third quarter.

Copyright Reuters, 2020

Read Comments