As shown in the statistics of the State Administration of ForeignExchange (SAFE), in August 2019, the amount of foreign exchange settlement andsales by banks was RMB 1201.3 billion (equivalent to USD 171.1 billion) and RMB1239.1 billion (equivalent to USD 176.5 billion), respectively, with a deficitof RMB 37.8 billion (equivalent to USD 5.4 billion). In particular, the amountof foreign exchange settlement and sales by banks for customers was RMB 1055.5billion and RMB 1078.5 billion, respectively, with a deficit of RMB 23 billion;the amount of foreign exchange settlement and sales for banks themselves is RMB145.9 billion and RMB 160.7 billion, respectively, with a deficit of RMB 14.8billion. During the period, newly signed contract amount of forward foreign exchangesettlement and sales was RMB 169.7 billion and RMB 92 billion, respectively,with a net newly signed contract amount of forward foreign exchange settlementof RMB 77.8 billion. At the end of August, outstanding amount of forwardforeign exchange settlement and sales by the end of the current period was RMB 508.9billion and RMB 498.3 billion, respectively, with a net outstanding amount of forwardforeign exchange settlement of RMB 10.6 billion; the net Delta exposure ofoutstanding options was RMB -260.3 billion.
During January to August 2019, the accumulative amount of foreignexchange settlement and sales by banks was RMB 8333.7 billion (equivalent toUSD 1220.4 billion) and RMB 8638.6 billion (equivalent to USD 1265.2 billion),with an accumulative deficit of RMB 304.9 billion (equivalent to USD 44.7billion). In particular, the accumulative amount of foreign exchange settlementand sales by banks for customers was RMB 7707.3 billion and RMB 7927.1 billion,respectively, with an accumulative deficit of RMB 219.8 billion; theaccumulative amount of foreign exchange settlement and sales for banksthemselves was RMB 626.5 billion and RMB 711.6 billion, respectively, with anaccumulative deficit of RMB 85.1 billion. During the period, newly signedcontract amount of forward foreign exchange settlement and sales was RMB 1056.8billion and RMB 374.9 billion, respectively, with a net newly signed contractamount of forward foreign exchange settlement of RMB 681.9 billion.
In August2019, the amount of cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectorswas RMB 2035.3 billion (equivalent to USD 289.9 billion) and RMB 2206.1 billion(equivalent to USD 314.2 billion), respectively, with a deficit of RMB 170.8 billion(equivalent to USD 24.3 billion).
DuringJanuary to August 2019, the amount of cross-border receipts and payments by non-bankingsectors was RMB 15880.7 billion (equivalent to USD 2327.4 billion) and RMB 15855.0billion (equivalent to USD 2322.6 billion), respectively, with a surplus of RMB25.8 billion (equivalent to USD 4.8 billion).
Addendum:Glossary and relevant definitions
Balance of payments(BOP) refers to all economic transactionsbetween 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 country’sforeign exchange reserve fluctuation, though it is not equal to netchange in foreign exchange reserves during the same period
Unlikethe principle 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-borderreceipts and payments bynon-banking sectors refers to the receipts andpayments between domestic non-banking sectors (including institutional and individual residents)and non-residentsthrough domestic banks, excluding receipts and payments in cash. In particular,the statisticsincludescross-border receipts and payments between non-banking sectors andnon-residents through domestic banks (including RMB and foreign currency), and domesticreceipts and payments between non-banking sectors and non-residents throughdomestic banks (temporarily excluding domestic receipts and payments in RMBbetween individual residents and non-resident individuals). Data are collected whencustomers conduct receipts and payments with non-resident counterparties atdomestic banks. Specifically, the receipts refer to the capitalof non-bankingsectors received fromnon-residents via domestic banks; the payments refer to the capitalof non-bankingsectors paid to non-residents via domestic banks.
Thecross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectors is based on cash basis,different from the accrual basis required by the Balance of Payments Statistics. The statisticsmerely reflects the cashflows between non-banking sectors and non-residents and does not include bartertransactions or transactions with non-residents conducted by the banksthemselves. Therefore,the scope of thestatistics is narrower than that of the Balance of Payments Statistics.
