Russia’s Reserve Fund falls 4.3% in rbl, Wealth Fund 3.5% in Feb

MOSCOW, Mar 2 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Reserve Fund, which protects the budget against falls in oil prices, decreased 4.3% in February to 931.31 billion rubles as of Wednesday, an equivalent of U.S. $16.07 billion, down 0.7%, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The balances of accounts split by currency amounted to $7.62 billion, 6.71 billion euros and 1.1 billion British pounds as of Wednesday.

Combined revenue from Reserve Fund money placement on foreign currency accounts with the central bank stood at $30 million, or 1.47 billion rubles, from December 15 through Tuesday.

The difference from revaluation of foreign currency assets amounted to minus 40.82 billion rubles from January 1 through Tuesday.

The National Wealth Fund, designed to secure the country’s pension system, rose 3.5% in February to 4.206 trillion rubles as of Wednesday, an equivalent of $72.6 billion, flat on the month.

The balances on accounts with the central bank split by currency stood at $19.51 billion, 20.76 billion euros, 3.83 billion British pounds and 17,300 rubles. Deposits with Vnesheconombank (VEB) amounted to 198.31 billion rubles and $6.25 billion. Investment in Ukrainian bonds amounted to $3 billion.

Investments in securities of Russian companies amounted to 112.63 billion rubles and $4.11 billion, in preferred shares of banks to 278.99 billion rubles. Deposits with VTB and Gazprombank for investment in infrastructure projects amounted to 164.43 billion rubles.

Total revenue from National Wealth Fund money placement on foreign currency accounts with the central bank stood at $70 million, or 3.98 billion rubles from December 15 through Tuesday. The difference from revaluation of foreign currency assets amounted to minus 152.77 million rubles from January 1 through Tuesday.

(58.3776 rubles – U.S. $1)

End