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 fourth quarter of 2021. At end-December 2021, the share of international assets in total banking assets increased to 86.3% from 85.9% at end-September 2021, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities rose to 83.9% from 83.8%.
Non-local currencies continued to be the dominant denomination in international banking transactions. At end-December 2021, the shares of the pataca in total international assets and total international liabilities were 1.1% and 0.7% respectively. The Hong Kong dollar, the US dollar, the renminbi and other foreign currencies accounted for 30.2%, 47.6%, 16.9% and 4.2% of total international assets while their respective shares in total international liabilities were 36.4%, 38.4%, 21.9% and 2.6%.
International Banking Assets
At end-December 2021, total international assets increased by 7.1% from a quarter ago to MOP2,311.4 billion (USD287.8 billion). Within this total, external assets went up by 7.6% from the previous quarter to MOP1,764.5 billion while local assets in foreign currencies also increased by 5.4% to MOP546.9 billion. As a major component of international assets, external non-bank loans decreased by 1.4% to MOP739.9 billion.
International Banking Liabilities
Total international liabilities increased by 6.8% from three months ago to MOP2,247.0 billion (USD279.8 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies expanded quarter-to-quarter by 9.0% to MOP1,369.8 billion and 3.5% to MOP877.2 billion respectively. Deposits taken from external banks constituted a major component of international liabilities. This type of deposits rose by 25.2% to MOP766.5 billion at end-December 2021.
Breakdown of External Banking Assets and Liabilities by Region
The majority of external assets and liabilities of the local banking sector were related to Asia, America and Europe. At end-December 2021, claims on Mainland China and Hong Kong occupied 42.3% and 28.2% of total external assets; the share of the United States stood at 4.5% while claims on Luxembourg and Portugal took up 1.0% and 0.7% respectively. Meanwhile, claims on Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” occupied respective shares of 1.1% and 8.8%. On external liabilities, Mainland China and Hong Kong accounted for 45.2% and 32.7% of the total respectively, while the United Kingdom and France took up corresponding shares of 4.5% and 3.1%. Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” represented 0.5% and 7.8% 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.
