The journalists were remarkably interested in the news of the "very substantial drop in the ideal net surplus of the financial sector”, as explained by card. Sebastiani, “which closed with a surplus of 13.7 million versus 43.3 million in 2005″. Such drop, of as much as 29 million euros he added , "is to be mostly attributed to the sudden and very substantial trend reversal in the fluctuation of the exchange rates, especially the US dollar". To the question why the Holy See did not choose to immediately convert donations from dollars to euros to protect itself from the "collapse of the dollar", Sebastiani answered, with the help of the general accountant of the Prefecture, Paolo Trombetta, that "this figure portrays what actually existed as of December 31st, with the values of the exchange rates as of that date. In fact, the funds given in dollars or other currencies lie in the Vatican deposits and are used as needed by the Holy See, and their value is in fact as fluctuating as the exchange rates”. As to the resources invested on the financial markets, the proceeds from coupons and interests have increased from 25.5 to 28.5 million euros. "We are very cautious said Sebastiani and mostly invest in bonds. We do not want to take risks and we follow the ‘due diligence’ rule. Those who wanted to risk, you know this very well, got their fingers burnt. Calvi”.
