Which task involves holding foreign currency reserves and issuing currency?

• A. Holding foreign currency reserves and issuing notes/coins
• B. Providing customer loans to households
• C. Setting exchange rates directly
• D. Regulating insurance companies

Answer: (A)

Holding foreign currency reserves and issuing currency are functions of the central bank. The central bank uses foreign reserves to manage the value of the domestic currency, intervene in foreign exchange markets, and provide liquidity in times of stress, while issuing currency ensures there is an adequate supply of notes and coins in circulation to support the monetary system. These tasks set the central bank apart from other financial roles. Providing customer loans to households is typical of commercial banks, not central banks. Directly setting exchange rates is a policy tool the central bank may influence, but not its defining task here, and regulating insurance companies is the job of a financial regulator.