Provisional international banking statistics, first quarter 2010

Statistical commentary on provisional locational and consolidated banking statistics at end-March 2010 (PDF, 14 pages, 99 kb)

For the first time since September 2008, after a cumulative contraction of almost 11%, international banking activity in aggregate rose by 2% or $700 billion in the first quarter of 2010. About half of the quarterly increase in external claims was accounted for by reporting banks located in the United Kingdom and United States with counterparties in a few developed countries. External claims on emerging economies and on offshore centres continued to grow, and banks' foreign currency claims on residents also increased for the second consecutive quarter.

Consolidated international claims (which exclude inter-office business) grew by an estimated $394 billion (+2%) compared with the previous quarter  once adjustments for exchange rate changes and breaks in series are made. Local claims in local currency of banks' foreign offices also increased in the first quarter. 

Data for the first quarter of 2010 are provisional. Final data, with a detailed analysis of the recent trends, will be published in the forthcoming BIS Quarterly Review to be released on 6 September 2010.