Forex reserves edge up to MOP 133.3 bln in January

[Shotgunner51]

Forex reserves edge up to MOP133.3 bln in January « Macau Business
Posted: 2/16/2015 12:22:35 PM

The Monetary Authority of Macau estimates that the city’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP133.3 billion (US$16.7 billion) at the end of last month, 1.5 percent more than a month earlier.

The estimated sum was equivalent to 12 times the currency in circulation or 107.1 percent of the M2 measure of money supply at the end of 2014.

The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index of the pataca, a gauge of the currency’s value against the currencies of Macau’s main trading partners, rose by 1.34 points last month to 102.96.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區):

Population: 607,500 (2014)
Ethnic groups: 95% Han Chinese, 2% Portuguese, 3% others
Area: 31.3 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: US$ 44 billion
Forex reserve: US$ 16.7 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 91,376
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 142,599
HDI (2014): 0.882
Fiscal surplus: 23%
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ 72,427
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 27,489

macau fiscal reserves - Bing News
Macau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia​

 

[Shotgunner51]

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (via noodls) / Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures Released

Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures Released
Hong Kong Monetary Authority

06/03/2015 | Press release

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (Friday) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$332.5 billion as at the end of February 2015 (end January 2015: US$324.8 billion) (Annex).

There were no unsettled foreign exchange contracts at end-February and end-January 2015.

The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$332.5 billion represent about seven times the currency in circulation or 48% of Hong Kong dollar M3.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
6 March 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (中華人民共和國香港特別行政區)

Population (2014): 7,234,800 (2014)
Ethnic groups: 93.6% Han Chinese, 6.4% others
Area: 1,104 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: TBC
Forex reserve: US$ 332.5 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 40,304
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 55,157
HDI (2014): 0.891
Fiscal surplus: 23%
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ TBC
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 45,963​

 

[Shotgunner51]

Taiwan February forex reserves up from January

Taiwan February forex reserves up from January
Thursday, 05 March 2015 13:43

TAIPEI: Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves stood at $417.826 billion at the end of February, increasing from January levels, the central bank said on Thursday, citing gains made on the return in reserves investments.

Taiwan's reserves are the world's fourth-largest after China, Japan and Russia.


Copyright Reuters, 2015

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Republic of China (中華民國)

Population (2014): 23,373,517
Ethnic groups: 95% Han Chinese (70% Hokkien, 14% Hakka, 14% Waishengren), 2.3% Aborigine
Area: 36,193 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: TBC
Forex reserve: US$ 417.826 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 21,571
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 43,599
HDI (2014): 0.882
Fiscal surplus: TBC
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ TBC
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 17,875​

 

[Shotgunner51]

@Martian2 @TaiShang

Both HK and Taiwan are loaded with money.
Hong Kong is definitely part of Beijing-led AIIB, how's Taiwan?

Could Taiwan Join AIIB? | The Diplomat

 

[Martian2]

@Martian2 @TaiShang

Both HK and Taiwan are loaded with money.
Hong Kong is definitely part of Beijing-led AIIB, how's Taiwan?

Could Taiwan Join AIIB? | The Diplomat

Most people don't understand that Taiwan is not an independent actor.

In general, Taiwan needs US approval before making a big decision.

There are two reasons for this state of affairs.

Firstly, the US saved Taiwan in the 1960s. Taiwan owes the godfather.

Secondly, Taiwan is dependent on the US market. The US will exact an economic price for unapproved major political acts.

In conclusion, Taiwan has to wait for the Europeans and possibly South Korea before it can apply to join the AIIB. That's political reality. Being the smallest and weakest, Taiwan has to be a political follower. It cannot join the AIIB before other larger and more independent countries like Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Australia, South Korea, etc. Taiwan is always on the trailing end politically.
----------

Let me give you an example of Taiwan's lack of control.

The United States quoted $250 million for a mountain-top phased array radar on Taiwan.

After construction, the revised price was $1 billion. Basically, Taiwan is subject to the crazy price increase of American defense contractors.

After it was built and Taiwan's beautiful mountain-top had been turned into an ugly military installation, there are American soldiers posted outside the facility to prevent the entry of any Taiwanese.

All of the operators of the Taiwan mountain-top radar are all American and the data is available only to the United States government.

Thus, you have the crazy situation of Taiwan paying $1 billion for a mountain-top radar that it is not allowed to see inside or operate. That is the definition of being the godfather's lackey. All Taiwanese know that we're American puppets and it is verboten to question the godfather. Taiwan can only be a follower. Otherwise, the godfather will pick on Taiwan some more.

By the way, this is common knowledge on Taiwan. It's on Taiwanese tv.

"Taiwan's new PAVE PAWS early-warning radar system is built on top of a mountain. Photo: Taiwanese online forum"

 

[TaiShang]

@Martian2 @TaiShang

Both HK and Taiwan are loaded with money.
Hong Kong is definitely part of Beijing-led AIIB, how's Taiwan?

Could Taiwan Join AIIB? | The Diplomat

I agree with @Martian2 , the government will most likely wait and see until the last moment. If there is a little signal from the US, it will jump onto the vagon.


This is taken from the blog by a popular commentator in Taiwan:

美國圍堵失靈：亞投行事件的歷史徵候

2015-03-25 02:25:57 聯合報 聯合報社論

從大歷史的角度看，一七九三年到北京祝壽的英國特使馬戛爾尼拒絕向乾隆皇帝下跪，暗示了中國的衰落；而二○一五年英國不顧美國勸阻，決定加入以北京為總部的「亞洲基礎設施投資銀行」，是否將注解中國的復興？

...

浪潮正在拷問東亞的幾個「美國隊員」，當我們遠眺未來時，赫然看見了世界島的甦醒；那麼，此刻仍在冷戰的思維框架中，圍堵中國的日本、韓國與台灣，究竟應歸向近在咫尺的世界島，抑是依戀數萬浬外的美國隊，自願作為美國在太平洋西岸的金門、烏坵與馬祖？

全球化與網路正在泯除西方與東方的界線，國際政治與權力將更大比例地根據現實利益為取捨，而不是依賴意識形態，英法德義奔向亞投行，正是這個現象的表徵。就此而論，台灣豈應再加高兩岸的藩籬，更與世界島阻絕？今天，不只是服、貨貿應該儘速通過，各部門更應思索如何向亞投行叩門。

 

[Shotgunner51]

Singapore’s forex reserves being depleted to support the SGD: BofAML - Yahoo Singapore Finance

Singapore’s forex reserves being depleted to support the SGD: BofAML
Singapore Business Review – Wed, Mar 18, 2015 8:05 AM SGT

The MAS has been running down its forward book.

Singapore’s forex reserves are being depleted to keep the SGD afloat. Data from Bank of America Merrill Lynch showed that the country’s FX reserves stood at US$250.7bn in February, down by about US$27bn from the high of US$278bn in June 2014.

“The MAS has been intervening to support the Singapore dollar and running down its forward book quite dramatically, which stood at US$41.8bn in December, versus $68.3bn a year ago and $106.6bn two years back,” the report stated.

BofAML believes that not re-centering the S$NEER band in April would result a further depletion of MAS FX reserves position as the S$NEER continues to test the lower bound.

“The pressure could moreover intensify if the Fed decides to hike interest rates before the next policy meeting in October,” BofAML stated.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Republic of Singapore (新加坡共和国)

Population (2014): 5,469,700
Ethnic groups: 74% Han Chinese, 13.4% Malay, 9% of Indian descent, 3.2% Eursaian
Area: 718 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: TBC
Forex reserve: US$ 250.7 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 55,182
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 78,762
HDI (2014): 0.901
Fiscal surplus: TBC
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ TBC
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 45,840
​

 

[Shotgunner51]

S. Korea's FX reserves tick up in Feb.

S. Korea's FX reserves tick up in Feb.
2015/03/04 06:00

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves slightly rose in February from the previous month due mostly to increased profit from the management of foreign-currency denominated assets, data showed Wednesday.

The country's foreign exchange reserves reached US$362.4 billion as of the end of last month, inching up $180 million from January, according to Bank of Korea data.

Foreign reserves consist of securities and deposits denominated in overseas currencies, International Monetary Fund reserve positions, special drawing rights and bullion.

In a press release, the central bank explained that a rise in management gains offset the weakening value of the euro, raising the foreign exchange reserves amount.

As of end-January, South Korea was the world's seventh-largest holder of foreign reserves, trailing China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Taiwan and Russia. The comparison for February data is not yet available.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Republic of Korea (대한민국; 大韓民國)

Population (2014): 51,302,044
Ethnic groups: >99% Korean; 단일민족국가 (single race society)
Area: 100,210 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: TBC
Forex reserve: US$ 362.4 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 28,738
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 35,485
HDI (2014): 0.891
Fiscal surplus: TBC
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ TBC
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 7,064​

 

[Shotgunner51]

Japan Foreign Exchange Reserves | 1957-2015 | Data | Chart | Calendar

Japan Foreign Exchange Reserves

Foreign Exchange Reserves in Japan decreased to 1,251,112 USD Million in February of 2015 from 1,261,103 USD Million in January of 2015. Foreign Exchange Reserves in Japan averaged 268826.54 USD Million from 1957 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 1,306,668 USD Million in January of 2012 and a record low of 455 USD Million in September of 1957.

Foreign Exchange Reserves in Japan is reported by the Ministry of Finance, Japan.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data updates on Japan (日本国)

Population (2014): 126,434,964
Ethnic groups: 98.5% Japanese, 0.5% Korean, 0.4% Chinese, 0.6% Others
Area: 377,944 sq.km
Fiscal reserve: TBC
Forex reserve: US$ 1,251.112 billion

GDP per capita, nominal (2013): US$ 37,540
GDP per capita, PPP (2013): US$ 37,683
HDI (2014): 0.890
Fiscal surplus: TBC
Fiscal reserve per capita: US$ TBC
Forex reserve per capita: US$ 9,896​

 

[Shotgunner51]

Asia’s Rise Is Rooted in Confucian Values