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U.S. Fed's balance sheet shrinks in latest week

Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:30pm EDT

NEW YORK, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve's balance sheet shrank in the latest week as holdings of commercial paper and liquidity swaps declined, Fed data showed on Thursday.

Bonds

The Fed's balance sheet liabilities -- a broad gauge of its lending to the financial system -- fell to $2.144 trillion on Wednesday from $2.183 trillion a week ago.

The central bank's Commercial Paper Funding Facility assets fell to $19.02 billion on Wednesday, sharply down from the previous week's $39.43 billion.

The Fed's liquidity swap lines with foreign central banks to provide dollars fell to an average of $33.32 billion per day in the week ended Oct. 28 versus $41.64 billion per day in the prior week.

The Fed's holding of agency mortgage-backed securities totaled $774.07 billion on Wednesday from $776.87 billion a week earlier, while its Treasuries ownership was $774.56 billion from $773.49 billion a week earlier.

Overnight direct loans to banks via the Fed's discount window averaged $107.63 billion per day in the week ended Oct. 28 versus $108.17 billion per day in the prior week.

Primary credit borrowings averaged $22.58 billion in the week to Oct. 28 versus $23.84 billion in the week to Oct 21, according to Fed data. (Reporting by Chris Reese; Editing by James Dalgleish)



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