Net gold and foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank of Kazakhstan in current prices totaled $11.833.9 m. as of April 14, 2006

/IRBIS, Assel Omarova, April 18, 06/ - National Bank of Kazakhstan spread press release, which says, that net international reserves (GFER) of the National bank excluding money of the National Fund of the Republic of Kazakhstan in current prices grew in the first half of April 2006 by 6.8% and totaled $11,833.9 m. Press release notes, that servicing of external debt of Finance ministry, replenishment of assets of National Fund were grown by purchase of currency in internal currency market and entries of foreign currency to accounts of the Government in the National Bank. As a result net currency reserves increased by $727.5 m. Assets in gold increased by $26.8 m. as a result of increase of its prices in the world markets by 2.2%. The country's international reserves as a whole (in current prices), i.e. including money of the National Fund (by preliminary data $8,337.0 m.), increased relative to the previous month by 3.9% to $20,174.3 m. as of April 14 of the current year. Decrease of net international reserves of the National Bank in the first half of April 2006 caused compression of monetary base by 2.6% or by KZT27.4 bn. Below is data about the dynamics of the National Bank's international reserves and monetary base (current prices) is given. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- as of as of as of Indicator Apr 14, 06 Mar 31, 06 Mar 15, 06 ---------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net international reserves, $m 11,833.9 11,079.6 9,903.4 including: net assets in hard currency* 10,626.2 9,898.7 8,855.5 gold 1,207.7 1,180.9 1,047.9 Monetary base, KZT bn. 1,013.0 1,040.4 917.9 KZT/USD (at the end of the period) 128.45 128.45 128.80 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * specified data ** net assets in hard currency is the difference between gross assets and liabilities in hard currency; [2006-04-18]