ArmInfo. The currency interbank of Armenia increased volumes by 89% from 26 to 30 March, after a decline of 37.9% a week earlier. At the same time, players on the intra-bank foreign exchange market increased interest in both dollar and euro transactions and ruble deals, while a week earlier they showed low activity.
Exchange market since the beginning of the year to this day is empty. As a result, the dram against the dollar began to slowly strengthen from 480.5 to 480.3 AMD / $ 1, "frozen" to the euro at the level of 592 AMD / 1evro and to the ruble on the bar 8.4 AMD / rub. A year earlier, as of March 30, 2017, the exchange rate of the dram to the dollar was 484 AMD / $ 1, to the euro - 521 AMD / 1evro, and to the ruble - 8.5 AMD / ruble, which, in comparison with the current rates, indicates the annual devaluation of the dram to the euro, at revaluation to the dollar and to the ruble.
According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia, transactions in the amount of $ 19.5 million at the average weighted rate of 480.50 AMD / $ 1 (against 480.38 AMD / $ 1 a week earlier) were effected on the interbank market from March 26 to March 30. Moreover, during the week the deals were made on a daily basis, but the maximum volume was fixed on Wednesday - $ 5.4 million. In parallel, on the intra-bank foreign exchange market, following a sharp decline last week, there was an increase in currency transactions: the buying / selling of the dollar - by 11.7-61.1%, euro - by 25.7-18.3%, rubles - by 20.3- 25.3%. As a result, $ 90.04 million was purchased at the average exchange rate of 479.52 AMD / $ 1, 8.8 million euro at the average rate of 592.2 AMD / 1EUR, and 1.014 billion rubles at the average rate of 8.34 AMD / 1RUR, and sold $ 116.1 million at an average rate of 480.73 AMD / $ 1, 16.8 million euro at an average rate of 595.72 AMD / 1EUR, and 635.4 million rubles at the average rate of 8.42 AMD / 1RUR.
According to the source, from March 19 to 24, Armenian banks issued AMD 54.2 billion in dram loans and $ 68.6 million in dollar loans. In comparison with the previous period (from March 12 to 17), AMD accelerated the decline from 23.8% to 26.9%, and dollar, on the contrary, unfolded the trend from a 36% decline to a 47.8% growth.
For the year 2017 on the exchange currency area, transactions totaling $ 3.3 million (January-March, May) were carried out. The Central Bank for the whole of 2017 bought a total of $ 122.6 million (June- September, December) and sold $ 22 million (January, November). Prior to this, in 2016, the exchange currency market also showed weak signs of life - one operation in March-May. The Central Bank bought $ 152 million (April, June, August-October) for the foreign exchange market in 2016, and sold $ 122.7 million (January-February, November-December).