AUSTRALIAN BANK DEPOSITS RISE IN FEBRUARY
Australian trading bank deposits rose
243 mln dlrs to 45.34 billion in February after rising 589 mln
to 45.10 billion in January and 140 mln to 43.80 billion in
February last year, the Statistics Bureau said.
    Total loans, advances and bills discounted fell to 43.80
billion dlrs from 43.92 billion in January, compared with 38.97
billion in February 1986.
    Total bank assets in Australia rose to 87.02 billion dlrs
from 86.18 billion in January and 72.28 billion a year earlier
while liabilities rose to 80.35 billion from 79.08 billion and
66.93 billion respectively.
    Foreign currency balances included in total assets fell to
5.36 billion Australian dlrs-equivalent in February from 5.37
billion in January, against 3.05 billion in February 1986,
while those in liabilities rose to 8.36 billion from 8.21
billion and 4.56 billion respectively, the Bureau said.
    Trading bank holdings of liquid assets and government
securities rose to 8.68 billion dlrs from 8.51 billion in
January and 7.26 billion in February 1986.
 REUTER
