BERLIN — BERLIN (AP) - The European Central Bank says the euro's role as a global currency remained stable last year despite the turbulence caused by the international financial crisis.
The ECB wrote in an annual review of the 16-nation euro's international role published Wednesday that currency preferences were "by and large unaffected" by market volatility in 2009.
The bank says that, at constant exchange rates, the euro's share in international debt securities was 31.4 percent last year - down from 32.7 percent in 2008. Its share of global foreign exchange reserves was up to 27.3 percent from 27 percent.
The ECB says "changes of that order of magnitude are fully in line with normal fluctuations observed in the years prior to the global economic and financial crisis."
