Ukraine's international reserves have fallen to $36.6 billion: what's going on?
Kyiv • UNN
In October 2024, Ukraine's international reserves decreased by 6% to $36.6 billion due to the NBU's foreign exchange interventions and debt repayments. The NBU expects the reserves to grow to $43.6 billion by the end of the year.
International reserves as of November 1, 2024, according to preliminary data, amounted to $36.6 billion. In October, they decreased by 6.0%, UNN reports with reference to the NBU.
The NBU emphasized that despite the decrease, the amount of international reserves is sufficient to maintain the stability of the foreign exchange market.
In addition, the NBU forecasts that the level of international reserves will reach USD 43.6 billion by December 2024, taking into account the funding assurances provided by partners.
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The dynamics of international reserves in October 2024 was driven by the NBU's foreign exchange interventions to cover the structural shortage of foreign currency in the market and smooth out exchange rate fluctuations, as well as by the country's debt payments in foreign currency. These operations were only partially offset by proceeds from international partners and from the placement of foreign currency domestic government bonds (FX domestic government bonds).
Thus, the NBU's net foreign exchange sales in October amounted to USD 3,427.9 million
In addition, the NBU paid USD 943.4 million for servicing and repaying the public debt in foreign currency, of which:
▪️710 - servicing and redemption of foreign currency domestic government bonds;
▪️186 - servicing and repayment of the debt to the World Bank;
▪️21 USD 6 million - servicing and repayment of debt to the EIB;
▪️11 USD 6 million - debt service to the EU;
▪️14 USD 2 million - payment to other international creditors.
Ukraine also paid $87.9 million to the International Monetary Fund.
At the same time, last month, the government's foreign currency accounts at the NBU received USD 1,991.4 million. Of this amount:
▪️1 $111.2 million from the International Monetary Fund;
▪️569 - USD 1.1 million from the placement of foreign currency government bonds;
▪️289 - USD 5 million from the Government of Canada;
▪️21 - $6.6 million in grant funds from the Government of Serbia.
