Hong Kong's foreign currency reserve assets stood at US$159.9 billion in April, down US$900 million on March, the Monetary Authority says.

Including unsettled forward contracts, foreign currency reserve assets in April hit US$159.9 billion. The March figure was US$160.8 billion.

Hong Kong is the world's ninth largest holder of foreign currency reserves based on the latest published figures, after the Mainland, Japan, Russia, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil and Singapore.

The assets represent over seven times the currency in circulation or about 39% of Hong Kong dollar M3.