KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- The annual growth in broad money (M3) moderated to 8.5 per cent in June 2013, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
The central bank said on a year-on-year basis, the slower expansion in M3 was driven by a more modest expansion in credit extended by the banking system to the private sector and a more moderate increase in net foreign assets, due in part to net portfolio outflows during the month.
"Net financing to the private sector grew at a slower pace of 9.1 per cent in June due to a moderation in the growth of both net issuances of private debt securities (PDS) and outstanding loans of the banking system," it said in a statement Wednesday.
BNM said the growth of business loans outstanding remained stable during the month with loans extended mainly to the finance, insurance and business services; education, health and others; agriculture and transportation, storage and communication sectors.
Loans outstanding to households, however, grew at a more moderate pace.
"The overall loan demand remained strong with sustained loan applications from both the business and household sectors," it said.
On the banking system, BNM said it remained well-capitalised under the Basel III Capital Adequacy Framework with the Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio, Tier 1 Capital Ratio and Total Capital Ratio at 11.7 per cent, 12.6 per cent and 13.8 per cent, respectively.
"The level of net impaired loans improved at 1.3 per cent of net loans, while the loan loss coverage remained at above 90 per cent," it said.
BNM said in June the ringgit depreciated against the currencies of Malaysia's major trading partners.
"The ringgit, together with other regional currencies, depreciated during the month, as news of the possibility of the tapering of monetary accommodation in the US and concerns over China's growth trajectory led to a withdrawal of funds from regional financial markets," it added.
In July, the ringgit continued to depreciate further against the currencies of Malaysia's major trading partners, with the exception of the Japanese yen, against which the ringgit appreciated, said BNM.
The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia stood at RM438.7 billion (equivalent to US$137.9 billion) as at July 15, 2013, sufficient to finance 9.6 months of retained imports and are 4.3 times the short-term external debt.
It said headline inflation, as measured by the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was stable at 1.8 per cent in June 2013 (May: 1.8 per cent).
source -- BERNAMA
