MENAF - 2/5/2006

The consolidated balance sheet of the banking system in Bahrain, comprised of full commercial banks (FCBs), offshore banking units (OBUs), and investment banks (IBs), increased by $11 billion (7.8 per cent) to reach $151.4 billion at end-March 2006, compared with $140.4 billion at end-December 2005 and compared with end-March 2005, the consolidated balance sheet of the banking system increased by 27 per cent, the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) announced yesterday.

Total domestic assets amounted to $24.6 billion at end-March 2006, compared with $21.4 billion at end-December 2005, an increase of $3.2 billion (15 per cent). Foreign assets increased by $7.8 billion (6.6 per cent) to reach $126.8 billion at end-March 2006, compared with $119 billion at end-December 2005.
The net foreign assets increased by $2.3 billion (39.7 per cent) at end-March 2006, to reach $8.1 billion, compared with $5.8 billion at end-December 2005.
The consolidated balance sheet of full commercial banks increased by BD915.7 million, or by 14.7 per cent, to reach BD7133.3 million at end-March 2006, compared with BD6217.6 million at end-December 2005 and compared with end-March 2005, the consolidated balance sheet of full commercial banks increased by 26.7 per cent. Full commercial banks' domestic assets increased by BD590.6 million (13.2 per cent) at end-March 2006 to reach BD5057.8 million. Claims increased on the BMA by BD196.6 million (57.0 per cent), banks by BD189.6 million (25.4 per cent), non-banks increased by BD141.5 million (5.4per ecnt) and on the Government (securities) by BD54.2 million (15.9per cent).

Foreign assets increased by BD325.1 million (18.6 per cent), to BD2075.5 million at end-March 2006. Claims on banks increased by BD217.6 million (26.3 per cent) and on non-banks by BD107.5 million (11.7per cent). Domestic deposits increased from BD3918.4 million at end-December 2005 to BD4299.7 million at end-March 2006. This was due to an increase in private sector deposits by BD158.4 million (4.8 per cent) and Government deposits by BD222.9 million (34.3 per cent).

The consolidated balance sheet of the OBUs increased by $8.5 billion (7.3 per cent), to reach $124.7 billion at end-March 2006, compared with $116.2 billion at end-December 2005 and compared with end-March 2005, the consolidated balance sheet of OBUs increased by 27.2 per cent. Domestic assets of the OBUs amounted to $9.2 billion at end-March 2006, compared with $7.7 billion at end-December 2005. Foreign assets increased by $7.1 billion, or 6.5 per cent, to reach $115.5 billion at end-March 2006
The consolidated balance sheet of investment banks (IBs) remained constant at $7.7 billion at end-March 2006, compared with end-December 2005The consolidated balance sheet of IBs increased by 22.2 per cent during the same period. Domestic assets increased by $153.1 million (8.7 per cent) to reach $1918.7 million at end-March 2006.