Big spending, big troubles? UAE foreign assets plummet, new central bank data shows

Reuters reported Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates central bank's foreign currency assets fell to Dh269 billion ($73.2 billion) in October 2013 from $284.3 billion the previous month.

The drop represents the largest fall since 2009. The report says that the drop was "due to a [decrease] in deposits...despite a rise of foreign security holdings."

Central bank data shows that UAE's foreign assets in September 2013 were at their highest level since 2007, and foreign securities holdings rose to a record high of 149 billion in October.