Markets Department

The Markets Department (AFM) is responsible for the Riksbank’s activities in the financial markets, such as the operational implementation of monetary policy decisions and the management of the gold and foreign exchange reserves. AFM also analyses the Riksbank's balance sheet and balance sheet and continuously monitors and analyses developments on the financial markets.

The Riksbank manages financial assets to ensure that it can fulfil its statutory objective and perform its tasks of implementing monetary policy, being prepared to intervene in the foreign exchange market and being able to provide temporary liquidity assistance to banks. Given this, the assets must be managed to generate sufficient returns to finance the Riksbank's activities at a well-balanced risk. Asset management is carried out within the overall guidelines set by the Executive Board.

The department is also responsible for implementing monetary policy decisions in practice. This involves the execution of various types of transaction, such as the issuance of Riksbank certificates and the purchase or sale of debt securities. This responsibility also includes all custody and administration of the Riksbank's assets and financial transactions. AFM is also responsible for analysing the Riksbank's balance sheet and evaluating risk and performance.

The department also has administrative responsibility for the transaction-based reference rate SWESTR, which includes analysing and following up on the standards and quality of SWESTR.

Additionally, the department manages the Riksbank's ongoing market monitoring.