The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP142.2 billion (USD17.82 billion) at the end of October 2009, virtually unchanged from the revised value for the previous month. When compared with the same period last year, the reserves increased by MOP18.5 billion or 14.9%. Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves at end-October 2009 represented 29 times the currency in circulation or 242.4% of Pataca M2 at end-September 2009.

The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the pataca, a gauge of the domestic currency’s exchange rates against the currencies of Macao’s major trading partners, fell by 0.49 points month-to-month and 2.47 points year-on-year to 89.10 in October 2009.

For enquiry, please contact:

Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao (Tel: 83952532; Fax: 28353042)