Information notice on the official gold and foreign exchange reserves of theSouth African Reserve Bank as at 31 July 2006 This notice provides details of the US dollar equivalent of the level of the Reserve Bank’s official gold and foreign exchange reserves as at 31 July 2006, published today in the Bank’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The notice also provides details of the level of outstanding foreign loans, the foreign exchange forward and international liquidity positions (net reserves).  As at31 July 2006(‘million)As at30 June 2006(‘million)Change 3) (‘million)Gold reserves 1)$2 536$2 419$117Foreign exchange reserves$21 626$21 531$96Gross reserves$24 162$23 950$213Foreign loans and deposits-$3 795-$3 811$16Forward position 2)$80$46$33International liquidity position      (Net reserves)$20 447$20 185$262Dollar/Rand exchange rateMarket gold price 1)Statutory gold priceR6.8750$635.875R4 371.64R7.1700$606.500R4 348.61  At the end of July 2006 the official gross gold and foreign exchange reserves amounted to US$24,2 billion and net reserves to US$20,5 billion. The increase in the foreign exchange reserves reflects a combination of revaluation adjustments, in particular impacting on gold reserves, and foreign exchange operations conducted by the SARB for its own account and on behalf of customers.  _____________________________1)            Gold in US dollar terms is reflected at middle market rates. For reporting purposes all foreign currency figures have been converted to US dollar at middle market rates at month end.2)            The forward position is made up of outstanding forward and unsettled foreign currency spot transactions.3)            Figures might not add up due to rounding.