Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/05
By: Chiu Po-sheng and Frances Huang

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves as of the end of December fell for the third consecutive month due to a drop in the value of the euro, which has been part of the central bank’s portfolio to manage the country’s forex reserves, the bank said Thursday.

As of the end of December, Taiwan’s forex reserves totaled US$434.20 billion, down US$144 million from a month earlier since the euro fell about 1 percent against the U.S. dollar in the month, the central bank said.

The bank said that the return from its management of the forex reserves was offset by a weaker euro when the assets denominated by the European currency were calculated in U.S. dollar.

Foreign investors owned a total of US$299.6 billion worth of local securities, bonds, as well as Taiwan dollar-denominated deposits as of the end of December, down US$4.2 billion or 1 percent from the end of November.    [FULL  STORY]