The foreign assets of the Exchange Fund rose $35.7 billion to $868.6 billion last month, the Monetary Authority says.

The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the Aggregate Balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, stood at $292.7 billion.

Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to $50.8 billion, while foreign liabilities, representing mainly obligations under repurchase agreements, stood at $1 billion.