Selected monthly data released by the South African Reserve Bank today, 29 October 2003, show that the positive net open foreign currency position (NOFP) of the Bank has improved by US$351 million from US$1 443 million at the end of August 2003 to US$1 794 million at the end of September 2003. The improvement in the positive NOFP was attributable to a combination of factors, including valuations and the Reserve Bank’s usual funding and customer transactions, which included the redemption of the 7,00% Deutsche Mark Bond issue of 1996/2003, amounting to Euro 255,6 million ($293,1 million), by the National Treasury. ​