The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP158.3 billion (USD19.72 billion) at the end of May 2010. The reserves rose by 0.6% from MOP157.3 billion (USD19.66 billion) for the previous month. When compared with a year earlier, the reserves increased by MOP17.6 billion or 12.5%. Macao SAR’s foreign exchange reserves at end-May 2010 represented 31 times the currency in circulation or 262.1% of Pataca M2 at end-April 2010.

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, rose by 1.21 points month-to-month and 0.45 points year-on-year to 91.79 in May 2010.

For enquiry, please contact:

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