Loans and advances from the Dutchcentral bank to the commercial banks were barely changed at
12.9 billion guilders in the week up to and including March 2,
the central bank weekly return showed.
    The Treasury's account with the bank dropped 1.3 billion
guilders. Dealers said a larger amount of funds in the form of
interest and repayments on state loans went out than came in
the form of tax payments to the state.
    Notes in circulation rose 360 mln to 27.7 billion as the
public withdrew cash to celebrate this week's Carnival festival
or take an end-of-winter holiday break, dealers said.
    Current money market rates are at 5-3/4 to 6-1/4 pct for
call money against 5-1/4 to 5-3/8 a week ago, and between
5-5/16 and 5-9/16 pct against 5-1/4 to 5-1/2 for one to 12
month periods, dealers said.
    The cause for the rise was a rather tight 4.8 billion
guilders of special advances set by the Bank yesterday compared
with 8.0 billion guilders for the previous set, dealers added.
    They expect the money market shortage to continue around 12
billion guilders this week.
    The weekly return showed total Dutch gold and currency
reserves rose 11.3 mln guilders to 56.0 billion guilders.
 REUTER
