In the week ending 27 March 2020 the decrease of EUR 111 million in gold and gold receivables (asset item 1) reflected mainly the sale of gold by one Eurosystem central bank for the purpose of issuing commemorative gold coins.
The net position of the Eurosystem in foreign currency (asset items 2 and 3 minus liability items 7, 8 and 9) increased by EUR 15.7 billion to EUR 418.9 billion mainly due to US dollar liquidity-providing operations.
As a result of the Eurosystem’s open market operations and standing facilities, net lending to credit institutions (asset item 5 minus liability items 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 4) rose by EUR 87.9 billion to EUR 613.6 billion.
Base money (liability items 1, 2.1 and 2.2) increased by EUR 116.5 billion to EUR 3,334.6 billion.
The table below provides the detailed breakdown of securities held for monetary policy purposes (asset item 7.1) into the different portfolios. All portfolios are accounted for at amortised cost.
Monetary policy securities portfolios | Reported value as at 27 March 2020 | Weekly change – purchases | Weekly change – redemptions |
Covered bond purchase programme 1 | EUR 1.1 billion | – | – |
Securities Markets Programme | EUR 41.0 billion | – | – |
Covered bond purchase programme 2 | EUR 2.9 billion | – | – |
Covered bond purchase programme 3 | EUR 274.8 billion | +EUR 1.7 billion | – |
Asset-backed securities purchase programme | EUR 31.1 billion | +EUR 1.0 billion | -EUR 0.3 billion |
Public sector purchase programme | EUR 2,168.6 billion | +EUR 20.2 billion | -EUR 0.2 billion |
Corporate sector purchase programme | EUR 201.5 billion | +EUR 2.4 billion | -EUR 1.1 billion |
Pandemic emergency purchase programme | EUR 0.0 billion | – |