Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves rose $7.633 billion to $601.904 billion at the end of August, rebounding above $600 billion after declines in June and July. Central bank currency purchases had the largest impact, while August interest income on reserve assets also provided substantial support; exchange-rate movements contributed to a lesser extent. Reserves had reached $605.074 billion in May before falling to $597.152 billion in June and $594.271 billion in July, when a $28 billion net foreign-investor outflow after earnings and dividend remittances prompted the central bank to sell foreign currency to support orderly market conditions. In August, the U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.49% and the Taiwan dollar strengthened more than other major currencies. Foreign investors brought in about $13 billion in principal, producing a net inflow of roughly $1.2 billion after remittances. Their Taiwanese stocks and bonds, valued at market prices, plus Taiwan dollar deposits totaled $1.861 trillion, or 309% of reserves, up from $1.6631 trillion and about 280% in July. Taiwan remained the world's fourth-largest holder of foreign exchange reserves, behind China, Japan and Switzerland.