Turkey's assets abroad total $250.2B in Q1

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey's external assets reached $250.2 billion in the first three months of 2021, an increase of 3.5% from the end of last year, Turkish Central Bank data showed on Thursday.

The country’s liabilities against non-residents fell 8.6% to $589.5 billion during January-March period.

The net international investment position (NIIP) – the gap between Turkey’s external assets and liabilities – narrowed in the first quarter, reaching minus $339.3 billion. The NIIP was minus $403.5 billion at the end of 2020.

Showing a snapshot in time, the NIIP – which can be either positive or negative – is the value of overseas assets owned by a nation, minus the value of domestic assets owned by foreigners, including overseas assets and liabilities held by a country’s government, the private sector, and its citizens.

Reserve assets, a sub-item under assets, down 7.1% to $86.7 billion in the same period.

Other investments, another sub-item under assets, recorded $106.8 billion, indicating an increase of 15.6% in the January-March period compared to the end-2020.

On the liabilities side, direct investment – equity capital plus other capital – fell 23.2% to $163.7 billion “with the contribution of the changes in the market value and foreign exchange rates.

“FX (foreign exchange) ,deposits of non-residents held within the resident banks recorded $34.2 billion, reflecting an increase of 2.4% compared to the end of 2020” the bank said.

“Turkish lira deposits decreased by 2.6% recording $15.3 billion,” it added.

The Central Bank said the total external loan stock of the banks amounted to $63.6 billion, a slight decrease of 0.9%, and the total external loan stock of the other sectors was $95.6 billion, declining 1.3% in the same period.