The currency reserves at the Central Bank (BDL) posted an 8.9 percent year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2013 to $35.31 billion. The value of gold reserves reached $14.7 billion, down by some 3.7 percent. Total reserves (foreign currency and gold) totaled $50 billion, up by $2.3 billion from end-March 2012.

The BDL’s balance sheet climbed to $78 billion thanks to the growth in total reserves and a 3.5 percent increase in the securities portfolio to $11.8 billion.