The volume of currency purchases by the population of Ukraine in March 2024 exceeded its sales by $574.8 million compared to $824.5 million in February and more than $1 billion each in January and December, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said.
According to its data, the reduction in the purchase of currency with an increase in its sales in March was recorded both in the cash and non-cash markets.
In particular, if the purchase of cash currency decreased to $1 billion 783.6 million from $1 billion 844.1 million a month earlier, its sale increased to $1 billion 255.4 million from $1 billion 122.4 million.
Purchases of non-cash currency in March decreased to $271.7 million from $363.6 million the previous month, while sales increased to $303.7 million from $271.7 million.
At the same time, in the legal entity market, the purchase of foreign exchange by banks’ clients in March increased to $5.33 billion from $4.88 billion in February, while sales slightly decreased to $4.67 billion from $4.72 billion.
As for the volume of transactions between banks, after falling in February to the level of September last year – $3.51 billion, it returned to the level of January this year – $4.38 billion.
As reported, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), which has held the official hryvnia exchange rate at $36.5686 UAH/$1 since the end of July 2022, has switched to a regime of managed exchange rate flexibility since October 3. In March, the official hryvnia exchange rate weakened by 95 kopecks. – To $38.9974 UAH/$1, reaching a historic low of 39.3430 UAH/$1 on March 27, while in the cash market it weakened by 80 kopecks. – to UAH 39.35/$1.
In 2022, according to official statistics, the population bought $.88 billion more foreign currency than it sold, including net purchase of cash currency amounted to $1.01 billion. In 2023, net purchase of foreign currency by the population reached $4.79 billion, including cash currency – $3.63 billion. In the first quarter of this year, the population had more foreign currency by another $2.50 billion, including cash currency – by $2.15 billion.
The volume of foreign currency sales by the National Bank in March this year increased to $1.79 billion from $1.54 billion in February, but taking into account the record foreign receipts of almost $9 billion, international reserves jumped by 18% or $6.7 billion in March to a record level of $43.76 billion.
buying currency, Ukraine's population
