Information notice on the official gold and foreign exchange reserves of theSouth African Reserve Bank as at 31 October 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 October 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 October 2006(‘million)As at30 September 2006 (‘million)Change (3)(‘million)Gold reserves (1)$2 404$2 400$4Foreign exchange reserves$22 145$22 250-$105Gross reserves$24 549$24 650-$101Foreign loans and deposits-$3 244-$3 534$290Forward position (2)$103$58$45International liquidity position              (Net reserves)$21 408$21 174$234Dollar/Rand exchange rateMarket gold price (1)Statutory gold priceR7.4500$602.500R4 488.63R7.7650$601.400R4 669.87  At the end of October 2006 the official gross gold and foreign exchange reserves amounted to US$24,5 billion and net reserves to US$21,4 billion. The decrease in the foreign exchange reserves reflects a combination of revaluation adjustments and foreign exchange operations conducted by the SARB for its own account and on behalf of customers. In April 2006 the National Treasury deposited a portion of the proceeds of a foreign currency bond issue with the SARB, which was withdrawn in October to repay a maturing foreign loan on behalf of Government. This transaction was mainly responsible for the decline of US$290 million in foreign loans and deposits.________________________________________________________________________(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 contracts and unsettled foreign currency spot transactions.(3)  Figures might not add up due to rounding. ​