Turkish Central Bank int'l reserves at $107.7B in Feb.

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Central Bank's official reserves stood at $107.7 billion as of the end of February, the bank announced Friday.

The February figures showed total reserve assets increased 5.1% from the previous month.

Foreign currency reserves – in convertible foreign currencies – were up 3.2% to $75.8 billion, while gold reserves increased by 10.5% to $30.4 billion during the same period.

In January, the bank's official reserves posted a 2.9% decrease to $102.5 billion, with foreign currency reserves falling 4.7% to $73.5 billion during the same period.

- Liability side

Short-term predetermined net drains of the central government and Central Bank – foreign currency loans, securities, and foreign exchange deposit liabilities – posted a 6.4% monthly increase in February, reaching $18.1 billion, the bank said.

Of this amount, $13.2 billion were in principal repayments and $4.9 billion in interest repayments, the bank said.

The bank also said the contingent short-term net drains on foreign currency last month totaled $36.7 billion, up 2.3% from previous month.