Hong Kong's Exchange Fund foreign assets up $10.53 bln in March

HONG KONG, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The foreign assets of Hong Kong's Exchange
Fund amounted to 1.3331 trillion HK dollars (172.18 billion U.S. dollars) in
March, up 81.5 billion HK dollars(10.53 billion U.S. dollars) from February,
revealed the Monetary Authority here Tuesday.

The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness,
government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the aggregate balance
of the banking system and Exchange Fund bills and notes issued, amounted to 570
billion HK dollars (73.62 billion U.S. dollars), according the Monetary
Authority.

Claims on the private sector amounted to 114.2 billion HK dollars (14.75
billion U.S. dollars).

Foreign liabilities, representing mainly obligations under repurchase
agreements, totaled 400 million HK dollars (51.66 million U.S. dollars).