Net gold and foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank of Kazakhstan in current prices totaled $7,942.5 m. as on November 15, 2005

/IRBIS, Assel Omarova, November 17, 05/ - According to information of REUTERS published with reference to press-release of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, National Ban's net international reserves (GFER) excluding money of the National Fund of Kazakhstan decreased in current prices in the first half of November by $694.9 m. and as on November 15 of 2005 equaled to $7,942.5 m. The press-release says that servicing of external debt of the Ministry of finance, currency sale by the National Bank on domestic currency market, replenishment of the National Fund's assets caused falling of net currency reserves by $691.0 m. Assets in gold have fallen by $3.8 m. as a result of falling of its price on the world markets by 1.1%. According to the National Bank's data, country's international reserves as a whole (in current prices), i.e. including money of the National Fund (according to preliminary data $5,810.3 m.), have fallen by 5.1% relative to previous month to $13,756.2 m. Falling of the National Bank's net international reserves in the first half of November caused compression of the monetary base by 2.4% or by KZT15.1 bn. Below is data about the dynamics of the National Bank's international reserves and monetary base (current prices). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- as of as of as of Indicator Nov 15, 05 Oct 31, 05 Oct 14, 05 ---------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net international reserves, $m 7,942.5 8,637.4 8,187.9 including: net assets in hard currency* 7,042.6 7,733.6 7,288.8 gold 899.9 903.8 899.1 Monetary base, KZT bn. 625.7 640.7 626.4 KZT/USD (at the end of the period) 134.23 134.21 133.85 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * net assets in hard currency is the difference between gross assets and liabilities in hard currency. [2005-11-17]