Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA)

Results Announcement Palestinian Balance of Payments – First Quarter 2016

Deficit in Current Account is USD 277.8 Million

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) have announced the preliminary results of the Palestinian Balance of Payments (BoP) for the first quarter of 2016 under the joint issuance cycle for the Palestinian Balance of Payments (BoP). It should be noted that the data excludes that part of Jerusalem which was annexed forcefully by Israel following its occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

The preliminary results of BoP for the first quarter of 2016 showed:

·         An incessant deficit in the Current Account which totaled USD 277.8 million marking a decrease of 38.2% compared to the previous quarter. The deficit in the Current Account was mainly triggered by the deficit in the Trade Balance of Goods, which reached USD 1,130.3 million with a decrease of 10.9% compared with the previous quarter.

·         The deficit in Services Balance amounted to USD 40.6 million with a decrease of 11.4% compared to the previous quarter. This deficit occurred due to the decrease of the export of travel services in addition to other business services.

·         The surplus in Income Account (compensations of employees and investments income) amounted to USD 364.4 million with an increase of 4.9% compared to the previous quarter. This surplus was due to compensations of employees working in Israel, which reached USD 359.2 million. As for the received investments income, it amounted to USD 30.4 million and was mainly caused by the income received on the portfolio investments abroad, in addition to the interest received on deposits in banks abroad.

·         The Current Transfers achieved a surplus value amounting to USD 528.7 million with an increase of 2.2% compared with the previous quarter. This was due to a decrease of the current  transfers outflows. The transfers to the government sector contributed 22.5% of total transfers from abroad, while the transfers to other sectors (mainly private sector) was 77.5%. The donors’ current transfers constituted 33.2% of total transfers from abroad.

·         The results showed a surplus value for the Capital and Financial Account amounting to USD 198.8 million with a decrease of 65.1% compared with the previous quarter, the surplus in the Capital and Financial Account was mainly caused by the surplus in the Capital Account which reached USD 102.8 million and the surplus in Financial Account which amounted to USD 96.0 million. there was a decrease in the reserve assets at PMA amounting to USD 116.9 million, with an increase of USD 32.3 million compared with the previous quarter.

It is worth mentioning that the Balance of Payments (BoP) is used to determine the economic position of a country compared to other countries worldwide and to calculate the size of its external debt. This data enables researchers and decision makers to devise informed economic policies and development plans to improve their external balance to guarantee the stability of the state and sustain the economic growth. BoP data was prepared according to the latest international recommendations taking into account the specificity of the Palestinian situation.