Financial report context:
westrock company notes to consolidated financial statements fffd ( continued ) at september 30 , 2018 and september 30 , 2017 , gross net operating losses for foreign reporting purposes of approximately $ 698.4 million and $ 673.7 million , respectively , were available for carryforward . a majority of these loss carryforwards generally expire between fiscal 2020 and 2038 , while a portion have an indefinite carryforward . the tax effected values of these net operating losses are $ 185.8 million and $ 182.6 million at september 30 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively , exclusive of valuation allowances of $ 161.5 million and $ 149.6 million at september 30 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively . at september 30 , 2018 and 2017 , we had state tax credit carryforwards of $ 64.8 million and $ 54.4 million , respectively . these state tax credit carryforwards generally expire within 5 to 10 years ; however , certain state credits can be carried forward indefinitely . valuation allowances of $ 56.1 million and $ 47.3 million at september 30 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively , have been provided on these assets . these valuation allowances have been recorded due to uncertainty regarding our ability to generate sufficient taxable income in the appropriate taxing jurisdiction . the following table represents a summary of the valuation allowances against deferred tax assets for fiscal 2018 , 2017 and 2016 ( in millions ) : .

Financial table:
2018: balance at beginning of fiscal year; 2017: $ 219.1; 2016: $ 177.2; column_4: $ 100.2
2018: increases; 2017: 50.8; 2016: 54.3; column_4: 24.8
2018: allowances related to purchase accounting ( 1 ); 2017: 0.1; 2016: 12.4; column_4: 63.0
2018: reductions; 2017: -40.6 ( 40.6 ); 2016: -24.8 ( 24.8 ); column_4: -10.8 ( 10.8 )
2018: balance at end of fiscal year; 2017: $ 229.4; 2016: $ 219.1; column_4: $ 177.2

Additional report context:
( 1 ) amounts in fiscal 2018 and 2017 relate to the mps acquisition . adjustments in fiscal 2016 relate to the combination and the sp fiber acquisition . consistent with prior years , we consider a portion of our earnings from certain foreign subsidiaries as subject to repatriation and we provide for taxes accordingly . however , we consider the unremitted earnings and all other outside basis differences from all other foreign subsidiaries to be indefinitely reinvested . accordingly , we have not provided for any taxes that would be due . as of september 30 , 2018 , we estimate our outside basis difference in foreign subsidiaries that are considered indefinitely reinvested to be approximately $ 1.5 billion . the components of the outside basis difference are comprised of purchase accounting adjustments , undistributed earnings , and equity components . except for the portion of our earnings from certain foreign subsidiaries where we provided for taxes , we have not provided for any taxes that would be due upon the reversal of the outside basis differences . however , in the event of a distribution in the form of dividends or dispositions of the subsidiaries , we may be subject to incremental u.s . income taxes , subject to an adjustment for foreign tax credits , and withholding taxes or income taxes payable to the foreign jurisdictions . as of september 30 , 2018 , the determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability related to any remaining undistributed foreign earnings not subject to the transition tax and additional outside basis differences is not practicable. .

Question: in 2018 what was the percentage change in the valuation allowances against deferred tax assets
Answer: 4.7%