The international reserves and foreign currency liquidity of the Qatar Central Bank increased by 6.9 percent by the end of 2023, to reach 245.928 billion riyals, compared to 230.026 billion riyals at the end of 2022.
Data issued by the Qatar Central Bank today showed an increase in its official reserves at the end of last year, compared to what they were at the end of 2022, by about 14.977 billion riyals, to reach 187.069 billion riyals, driven by the rise in the Central Bank’s balances of bonds and foreign treasury bills by about 1.880 billion riyals, to the level of 133.654 billion riyals in 2023.
Official reserves consist of main components, namely foreign bonds and treasury bills, cash balances with foreign banks, gold holdings, Special Drawing Rights deposits, and the State of Qatar’s share in the International Monetary Fund.
Other liquid assets (representing deposits in foreign currency) are added to the official reserves, so that the two together form what is known as total international reserves.
In the same context, gold stocks increased by the end of last year by about 4.781 billion riyals, compared to the year 2022 to 24.372 billion riyals. Balances with foreign banks also increased by about 8.346 billion riyals, to the level of 23.815 billion riyals at the end of last year, compared to the year 2022.
On the other hand, the balance of Special Drawing Rights deposits from the State of Qatar’s share with the International Monetary Fund declined by the end of 2023 by 31 million riyals, compared to 2022, reaching the level of 5.227 billion riyals.