KUALA LUMPUR (June 23): Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves slipped marginally to US$130.5 billion (RM526.9 billion) as at June 15, from US$130.6 billion at end-May, but remained near their highest level since June 2014.

According to the central bank’s latest update on Tuesday, the reserves are sufficient to finance 4.6 months of imports of goods and services and cover 0.9 times Malaysia’s total short-term external debt.

Short-term external debt refers to borrowings from non-residents that mature within one year. It largely comprises foreign currency liquidity operations by resident banks and borrowings by multinational corporations, including foreign banks, from their overseas parent companies.

BNM said these obligations can typically be met through the borrowers’ own external assets and do not impose claims on the central bank’s international reserves.

Among the key components, foreign currency reserves declined to US$114.4 billion from US$114.7 billion at end-May, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reserve position remained unchanged at US$1.3 billion.

Special drawing rights — international reserve assets maintained by the IMF based on a basket of major currencies — were unchanged at US$5.9 billion.

Gold holdings increased to US$6.5 billion from US$6.4 billion, while other reserve assets rose to US$2.4 billion from US$2.3 billion.

BNM releases its international reserves data every two weeks.