NEW YORK: The dollar share of IMF reserves total $3.76 trillion in the second quarter from $3.766 trillion in the first quarter, according to the IMF, about 61.9 percent of total reserves, data showed from International Monetary Fund on Monday.
Global reserves are assets of central banks held in different currencies primarily used to back their liabilities. Central banks have sometimes cooperated in buying and selling official international reserves to influence exchange rates.
Euro reserves rose to US$1.446 trillion, or 23.8 percent of the total, in the second quarter from $1.431 trillion in the first quarter,
Since 2009, the euro's share of reserve assets has mostly been declining on concerns about the region's sovereign and economic crisis. At its peak in 2009, the euro's share of reserves reached just under 28 percent.
The yen's share fell to 3.8 percent in the second quarter from 3.9 percent in the prior quarter.
For only the second time the IMF broke down central bank holdings in the Australian and Canadian dollars, which were previously classified under "Other Currencies."
Central banks held US$101 billion in the Australian currency globally as of the second quarter, up from US$98.5 billion in the first quarter.
They held US108.8 billion in Canadian dollars, up from USD94.9 billion in the first quarter.
The Australian and Canadian dollars have been in demand since the global financial crisis as relatively safe havens. The Aussie in particular was highly desired given its yield.
The move by the IMF is part of a wider review to provide more transparency in global financial data. It is also a reflection of a growing trend by central banks around the world to diversify their holdings beyond the US dollar, the euro and the yen.
Allocated reserves fell to $6.07 trillion in the second quarter, or 54.5 percent, from $6.08 trillion in the previous period.
Unallocated reserves or those not known and believed mostly held by China rose to $5.067 trillion in the second quarter from $5.007 trillion in the previous period.
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