KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia retreated 1.26% to US$101.7 billion as at March 31 this year, from US$103.0 billion as at March 13.

"The reserves level has taken into account the quarterly foreign exchange revaluation changes," the central bank said in a statement today.

The reserves position now is sufficient to finance 7.7 months of retained imports and is 1.1 times the country's total short-term external debt.

Foreign currency reserves, the largest portion of the international reserves, retreated to US$95.3 billion from US$95.7 billion over two weeks ago, while other reserve assets declined to US$2.2 billion from US$3.2 billion.

Unchanged were International Monetary Fund Reserves and special drawing rights, with both staying at US$1.1 billion. Gold reserves, however, climbed to US$2.0 billion from US$1.9 billion.

The central bank's total assets as at March 31 stood at RM474.61 billion, compared with RM447.52 billion as at March 13, while currency in circulation expanded to RM116.39 billion from RM113.48 billion previously.