Some MOP962.2 billion (US$120.3 billion)were deposited with the local banking sector as at the end of February this year, which represents an increase of 2.2 per cent month-on-month, with those of non-residents and local residents both registering growth.
According to the latest official data released yesterday by the Monetary Authority of Macau (AMCM) residents’ deposits with local banks totalled MOP526.4 billion in the second month of the year, up 0.9 per cent from the first month. Compared to the same month of 2016, the amount even jumped 15.3 per cent year-on-year.
Deposits by non-residents with local banks went up 2.5 per cent year-on-year to MOP255.3 billion in the same month. However, the amount represents a drop of 12.7 per cent as compared to one year ago.
Of the total deposits with the banking sector, nearly half were Hong Kong Dollars (HKD), which accounted for 47.6 per cent, followed by U.S. Dollars (USD) and Macau Patacas (MOP) at 24 per cent and 21.6 per cent, respectively.
Meanwhile, local banks approved domestic loans of MOP418 billion in the same month, up 0.6 per cent month-on-month, of which those denominated in HKD amounted to MOP271.6 billion, representing 65 per cent, while MOP-denominated loans reached MOP124.1 billion, accounting for 29.7 per cent of the total.
External loans approved by banks grew by 2.2 per cent month-on-month to MOP381.2 billion in February, of which loans denominated in USD accounted for 54.9 per cent, amounting to MOP209.4 billion. Other external loans were primarily denominated in HKD and Renminbi (RMB), which reached MOP100.6 billion and MOP40.5 billion, respectively, whereas only MOP7 billion of the external loans were denominated in MOP.
As at the end of the month, the loan-to-deposit ratio for the resident sector dropped 0.9 percentage points from the previous month to 59.1 per cent. In addition, the non-performing loan ratio was unchanged from one month earlier at 0.2 per cent.
Increased monthly supply
Meanwhile, the city saw currency in circulation fall 6.7 per cent month-on-month in February, totalling MOP14.3 billion
Money Supply (M1) increased 8.5 per cent month-on-month to MOP70.6 billion as demand deposits rose 13.2 per cent.
While quasi-monetary liabilities decreased 0.3 per cent month-on-month, M2, the sum of the item and M1, posted a slight increase of 0.7 per cent to MOP540.7 billion from one month ago.
Of the total, HKD accounted for 52.1 per cent, while MOP, USD and RMB amounted to 31.7 per cent, 10.1 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.
