Algeria's forex reserves steady at $144.3 bln-cenbank

Algeria held 144.3 billion U.S. dollars in foreign reserves at the end of June this year, largely unchanged from six months earlier, the official APS news agency quoted central bank governor, who said on Sunday.
The last time central banks in Algeria has highlighted the size of its foreign exchange reserves was in December 2008, saying it stood at 143.1 billion U.S. dollars.

Algerian officials have repeatedly said the oil and gas producer is safe from the turmoil in global financial markets because it has dramatically reduced the national debt and increasingly dependent on their own income to finance development.

However, the fall in world energy prices has reduced revenue from oil and gas sales, which account for 97 percent of Algeria's total exports.

Last month the government banned domestic banks issuing consumer loans in an effort to reduce imports and boost the trade surplus shrinking the country.