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SAFE News
  • Index number:
    000014453-2019-0335
  • Dispatch date:
    2019-12-20
  • Publish organization:
    State Administration of Foreign Exchange
  • Exchange Reference number:
  • Name:
    SAFE Releases Data on Foreign Exchange Settlement and Sales by Banks and Data on Cross-border Receipts and Payments by Banks for Customers in November 2019
SAFE Releases Data on Foreign Exchange Settlement and Sales by Banks and Data on Cross-border Receipts and Payments by Banks for Customers in November 2019

As shown in the statistics of the State Administration of ForeignExchange (SAFE), in November 2019, the amount offoreign exchange settlement and sales by banks was RMB 1043 billion and RMB 1082.6 billion,respectively, with a deficit of RMB 39.6billion.In the US dollar termsthe amount of foreign exchange settlement and sales by banks wasUSD 148.6 billion and USD 154.3billion, respectively, with a deficit of USD 5.6billion. Inparticular, the amount of foreign exchange settlement and sales by banks forcustomers was RMB 981.2 billion and RMB 1013.1billion,respectively, with a deficit of RMB 31.9 billion; the amount of foreign exchange settlement andsales for banks themselves was RMB 61.8 billion and RMB 69.5billion,respectively, with a deficit of RMB 7.7 billion. During the period, newly signed contract amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales was RMB 134.9 billion and RMB 40 billion, respectively, with a net newly signedcontract amountof forward foreign exchange settlement of RMB 94.9 billion. At the end of November, outstanding amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales by the end of the current period was RMB 517 billion and RMB 436.7 billion, respectively, with a net outstanding amount of forward foreign exchange settlement of RMB 80.2billion;the net Delta exposure of outstanding options was RMB -264.3billion.

During January to November 2019, theaccumulative amount of foreign exchange settlement and sales by banks was RMB 11502.6 billion and RMB 11902.5 billion, with an accumulative deficit of RMB399.9 billion. In the US dollartermsthe accumulative amount of foreign exchangesettlement and sales by banks was USD 1669.5 billion and USD 1727.8 billion, with an accumulative deficit of USD 58.2 billion. In particular, the accumulative amount offoreign exchange settlement and sales by banks for customers was RMB 10602.6 billion and RMB 10925.4 billion, respectively, with an accumulativedeficit of RMB 322.8 billion; the accumulative amount of foreignexchange settlement and sales for banks themselves was RMB 900 billion and RMB 977.1 billion, respectively, with an accumulative deficit ofRMB 77.1 billion. During the period, newly signed contract amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales was RMB 1408.5 billion and RMB 516.9 billion, respectively, with a net newly signedcontract amountof forward foreign exchange settlement of RMB 891.7 billion.

In November 2019, the amount of cross-border receiptsand payments by non-banking sectors was RMB 2193.1 billion and RMB 2196.4billion, respectively, with a deficit of RMB 3.2 billion.During January to November2019, the amount of cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectorswas RMB 22287.3 billion and RMB 22203.5 billion, respectively, with a surplusof RMB 83.7 billion.

In the US dollar terms, in November 2019, theamount of cross-border receipts andpayments by non-bankingsectors was USD 312.5 billion and USD 313.0 billion, respectively, with a deficit of USD 0.5 billion.DuringJanuary to November 2019, the amount of cross-border receipts and paymentsby non-banking sectorswas USD 3235.5 billion and USD 3222.5 billion, respectively, with a surplus of USD 13.0 billion.


Addendum:Glossary and relevant definitions

Balance of payments (BOP)refers to all economic transactions between residents and non-residents.

Foreignexchange settlement and sales by banks refers to settlement and sale transaction that bank executes for customersand for the banks themselves, including statistic data onsettlements of forward contracts for foreign exchange settlementand sales and the exercises of option, and excludingthe transactions in the interbank foreign exchange market. The statistic reporting date of Foreign exchangesettlement and sales by banks should be the trade day of theForeignexchange settlement and sales transaction. By definition, foreignexchange settlement means foreign exchange holders sell foreignexchange to designated foreign exchange bank, and foreignexchange sales means designated bank sells foreign exchange to foreign exchange buyers. The net position of foreign exchange settlement andforeign exchange sales could be position squared throughtransactions on the inter-bank foreign exchange market, and it is one ofthe major contributors to the countrysforeign exchange reserve fluctuation, though it is not equal to netchange in foreign exchange reserves during the same period

Unlike theprinciple of balance-of-payments statistics, which cover the transactionsbetween residents and non-residents, foreign exchange settlement and sales bybanks only cover transactions of RMB and foreign currencies between banks and customers or on banks for themselves.

Thenewly signed contract amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales refers to the binding forward contract between designated foreignexchange bank and client that predetermines foreign exchange currency, amount,exchange rate and tenor which to be executed upon maturity. Thenewly signed forward contract enables corporate to lock inadvance the exchange rate for the purchase or sale of a currency on a futuredate to manage relevant foreign exchange risk arising fromRMB volatility. In general, bank will hedge its foreign exchange risk exposures arise from the newly signed forward contract in the Interbank foreign exchange market. For example,when bank has net foreign exchange long position, bankwill short the equivalent amount of foreign exchange in the Interbank foreignexchange market in advance, or vice versa. Therefore, the newly signedcontract amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales is also one of contributors to China’s foreign exchange reserve fluctuation.

Theunwind amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales refers to, where client is unable to perform the original forwardcontract due to change in its real demand, client to fully or partially closeits forward position by executing another deal with opposite direction to theoriginal contract.

Therolling amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales refers to client to adjust the settlement date of original contract dueto change in its real demand.

Theoutstanding amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales by the endof the current period refers to the total amount of forwardcontracts accumulated from all non-matured forward contracts with client. Thenewly signed contractamount and the outstanding amount should satisfy the equationthat: theoutstanding amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales by the endof the current period = theoutstanding amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales at the endof the previous period + the newly signed contract amount of forward foreignexchange settlement and sales for the period - settlements of forwardcontracts for foreign exchange settlement and sales for the period - the unwindamount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales for the period.

The net Deltaexposure of outstanding options refers to the implied foreignexchange spot risk exposure from outstanding option contracts that bank executedwith client. Bank shall hedge such risk in the foreign exchange market for risk management during deal life cycle.

The cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectors refers to the receipts and payments betweendomestic non-banking sectors (including institutional and individual residents) andnon-residents through domestic banks, excludingreceipts and payments in cash. In particular, the statistics includescross-border receipts and payments between non-banking sectors andnon-residents through domestic banks (including RMB and foreign currency), and domestic receipts andpayments between non-banking sectors and non-residents through domestic banks(temporarily excluding domestic receiptsand payments in RMB between individual residents and non-resident individuals).Data are collected when customers conductreceipts and payments withnon-resident counterparties at domestic banks. Specifically, the receiptsrefer to the capital of non-banking sectors received from non-residents via domesticbanks; the payments refer to the capital of non-banking sectors paid tonon-residents via domestic banks.

The cross-borderreceipts and payments bynon-banking sectors is basedon cash basis, different from the accrual basis required by the Balance of Payments Statistics. The statistics merely reflectsthe cash flows between non-bankingsectors and non-residents and doesnot include barter transactions or transactions with non-residents conducted by the banks themselves. Therefore, the scope of the statistics is narrower than thatof the Balance of Payments Statistics.

The English translation may only be used as a reference. In case a different interpretation of the translated information contained in this website arises, the original Chinese shall prevail.

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