Italy
EU may curb central banks on cross-border deals
EU internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy wants to curb the power of central banks and national financial supervisory authorities to intervene arbitrarily in cross-border deals, the Financial Times reported Wednesday 6 September.
ECB's Bini Smaghi calls for Italian pension reform
European Central Bank executive committee member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi in an interview called for an immediate pension reform in Italy.
Italian banks' merger breakthrough
Two of Italy's biggest banks are to merge to form Europe's 10th largest bank with a market value of €55bn ($80bn).
Draghi hauls tarnished central bank into a new era
According to this article published Sunday 13 August by the Financial Times, Mario Draghi's goals at the Bank of Italy will be more openness, accountability and efficiency.
Bank of Italy adopts new statute
The Bank of Italy has approved a new statute proposed by governor Mario Draghi, La Stampa reported Friday 28 July. One new measure will see the directorate increasing from four to five members.
Comment: Scorecard for the euro
When the single European currency was launched, its expected boost to trade was one of, if not the main, benefits promised. Two recent studies question whether this promise has been met.
Bank of Italy - Annual Report 2005
According to the Bank of Italy's Annual Report 2005, the Italian economy stagnated in 2005, falling further behind the rest of the euro area and the world economy.
Draghi on economic developments in Italy
In the speech 'Overview of economic and financial developments in Italy' given on 31 May Mario Draghi of the Bank of Italy said returning to growth is Italy's absolute priority for economic policy today, as was entering the monetary union ten years ago.
Padoa-Schioppa named as Italian econ min
Romano Prodi, Italy's incoming centre-left prime minister, on Wednesday 17 May named "a team and not a collection of prima donnas" which included former European Central Bank board member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa as economy minister.
Padoa-Schioppa 'serious' candidate for econ min
Romano Prodi, Italy's election winner, said on Friday 21 April that former European Central Bank board member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa was a "serious" candidate to become his economy minister, but that nothing had been decided yet.
Italy's Prodi may pick Padoa-Schioppa on economy
Italy's centre-left leader Romano Prodi is expected to pick former European Central Bank board member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa as economy minister, if Prodi succeeds in forming a government, said La Stampa Saturday in an unsourced report.
Tumpel-Gugerell on ECB, Italy & Eastern Europe
In the speech 'The European Central Bank, Italy and the integration of Eastern Europe' given on 31 March Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said the ECB's track record of containing inflation means that it does not have to hike interest rates…
Fazio could face extra charges - report
According to a report by Il Sole 24 Ore, Milan prosecutors have gathered together enough evidence to charge the former governor of Banca d'Italia, Antonio Fazio, with market-rigging.
Confidence in Rome won't be rebuilt in a day
While the Bank of Italy seemed to have become an autocracy under Antonio Fazio, according to this recent article, governance will have to be a priority for the new governor, Mario Draghi.
Italy's Draghi on financial market integration
In the speech 'Financial market integration and the intermediation of savings' given on 4 March Mario Draghi of the Bank of Italy said interest rate levels were "very relaxed" after the ECB lifted rates for a second time in three months.
The new Banca d’Italia
Mario Draghi’s first actions as governor have brought a much-needed breath of fresh air to the Banca d’Italia. Isabella Bufacchi reports from Rome.
Italy welcomes bank merger
Le Figaro reported yesterday that the Italian government has welcomed the takeover bid for BNL, the country's sixth-largest bank, by French banking group BNP Paribas. The paper quoted Italian finance minister, Giulio Tremonti, as saying he regards it as…
Comment: EU banking supervision
Bundesbank board member Edgar Meister's assertion earlier this week that "the current supervisory framework is no real hindrance to cross-border consolidation" in the European banking sector, underlines the differences in opinion amongst policymakers on…
Comment: EMU and market discipline
A recent research note by the Brussels-based Centre for European Policy Studies pours cold water on the idea that Italy could crash out of the European Monetary Union (EMU) any time soon. The key to this conclusion lies in the amount of euro-dominated…
Draghi flies a different course
Italy has all it needs to resolve its own problems and can look towards a bright future, Bank of Italy Governor Mario Draghi said on Thursday 2 February. Draghi also emphasised he would take a different approach to that of former governor Antonio Fazio.
Comment: Talking points in January
January has been an eventful month in central banking circles. Debate intensified at the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan over their monetary policy frameworks, while the Bank of Italy and the State Bank of Pakistan saw new governors taking office…
Iran clarifies rumours on reserves shift, gold
Mohammad-Jaafar Mojarrad, Iran's central bank vice-governor, told the Financial Times on Tuesday that Tehran had withdrawn foreign reserves from Italian banks but not from other parts of Europe.
Draghi joins ECB council,marking changing of guard
A new generation is taking the levers of power at the ECB. This article published on Monday 16 January says the new breed of central banker could bring a heightened pragmatism to ECB decision-making, one less shaped by ideology as the centre of gravity…
Draghi: Bank of Italy will affirm its authority
The Bank of Italy's new governor, Mario Draghi, said Tuesday 17 January that the central bank retains its authority and will help shape Europe's monetary policy.