According to the statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, the proportion of international business in the local banking sector rose in the third quarter of 2018. At end-September 2018, the share of international assets in total banking assets increased to 86.0% from 85.9% at end-June 2018, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities rose to 81.1% from 80.9%.
Non-local currencies continued to be the dominant denomination in international banking transactions. At end-September 2018, the shares of the pataca in total international assets and total international liabilities were 0.8% and 1.0% respectively. The Hong Kong dollar, the US dollar, the renminbi and other foreign currencies accounted for 43.1%, 44.9%, 6.7% and 4.5% of total international assets as well as 49.9%, 39.0%, 6.5% and 3.7% of total international liabilities respectively.
International Banking Assets
At end-September 2018, total international assets increased by 3.2% from a quarter ago and by 17.8% from a year earlier to MOP1,479.2 billion (USD183.7 billion). Within this total, external assets went up by 19.4% year-on-year to MOP1,097.0 billion while local assets in foreign currencies also advanced by 13.5% to MOP382.2 billion. As a major component of international assets, external non-bank loans increased by 12.2% to MOP492.9 billion.
International Banking Liabilities
Total international liabilities increased by 3.4% from three months ago and by 18.8% year-on-year to MOP1,395.6 billion (USD173.3 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies expanded year-on-year by 19.2% to MOP670.6 billion and 18.4% to MOP725.0 billion respectively. Foreign currency deposits held by residents and the MSAR government in local banks continued to form a major component of international liabilities. This type of deposits grew by 15.5% year-on-year to MOP627.1 billion at end-September 2018.
Breakdown of External Banking Assets and Liabilities by Region
The majority of external assets and liabilities were related to Asia and Europe. At end-September 2018, claims on Mainland China and Hong Kong occupied 35.6% and 34.2% of total external assets, while claims on Portugal and Germany took up 1.4% and 1.3% respectively. Meanwhile, claims on Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” occupied respective shares of 1.7% and 4.9%. On external liabilities, Hong Kong and Mainland China accounted for 50.4% and 22.0% of the total respectively, while the United Kingdom and Portugal took up 2.9% and 0.5% respectively. Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” represented 0.6% and 11.3% respectively.
The compilation of International Banking Statistics follows the methodology advocated by the Bank for International Settlements in order to facilitate Macao SAR’s participation in the “Locational International Banking Statistics” project of the international organisation.