KUALA LUMPUR (April 7): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)'s international reserves rose 0.53% to US$95.4 billion (RM422.2 billion) as at March 31, compared with US$94.9 billion (RM425.5 billion) on March 15.

"The reserves position is sufficient to finance 8.3 months of retained imports and is 1.1 times the short-term external debt,” Bank Negara said in a statement this afternoon, adding that “the reserves level has taken into account the adjustment for foreign exchange revaluation changes.”

Of the reserves, foreign currency made up the biggest chunk at US$88.7 billion. The rest comprised International Monetary Fund (IMF) reserves at US$0.8 billion, special drawing rights (US$1.1 billion), gold (US$1.5 billion) and other reserve assets (US$3.3 billion).

Total assets as at March 31 were RM450.69 billion, while currency in circulation amounted to RM99.45 billion, said the central bank.