Belgium
Russia’s Euroclear lawsuit ‘an empty gesture, but not meaningless’
Central bank will use Moscow courts to bolster claims for compensation in international forums, say experts
Merz backs using Bank of Russia funds to help Ukraine
Frozen central bank assets could collateralise €140bn interest-free loan, says German chancellor
Hands off our gold, says National Bank of Belgium
Central bank rejects politicians’ calls to use bullion to pay for defence
Eurosystem sees small rise in counterfeiting over 2024
€20 and €50 notes remain the most popular denominations to replicate
ECB cuts rates by 25bp
Eurosystem disinflation “well on track” and council “did not discuss” TPI, says Lagarde
People: New faces on IMF exec board
Plus, appointments at Deutsche Bundesbank and Czech central bank
How the rate hike cycle emboldened banks’ deposit modelling
But just because depositors didn’t react quickly doesn’t mean it will never happen
China poses ‘risk of economic coercion’ – Belgian paper
National Bank of Belgium says trade with EU has shifted to more “strategic” goods
State-supplied firms in Belgium are less profitable – study
Research by central bank shows financially troubled firms sustained by government orders
EU agrees to use Russian asset profits to support Ukraine
“This is not our decision, but a political one,” says Euroclear chief executive
People: January to March 2024
A round-up of central bankers in the news and on the move during the past three months
Belgian governor gets temporary extension to time in office
Central bank council “deeply regrets” government’s failure to agree on reappointing Wunsch
Financial regulators: one, two, maybe a few?
As Jamaica moves to introduce the ‘twin peaks’ approach to financial oversight, Ben Margulies assesses some of the pros and cons
ECB expresses concern over draft Belgian laws
Minimum saving account rates could harm financial stability and policy transmission
The race to adopt ISO 20022 payments messaging
Some jurisdictions do not plan to adopt the protocol, while others are preparing for a disjointed implementation
Wunsch sceptical on forward guidance
Belgian governor says tool may be effective in a stable environment of below-target inflation
Wunsch calls for gradual ECB policy tightening
Belgian governor stresses risks posed by prolonged negative rates and QE
Pierre Wunsch on inflation, forward guidance and policy tightening
The National Bank of Belgium governor speaks about over-reliance on central bank models and forward guidance, the impact of energy costs and inflation expectations, and the need to unwind unconventional monetary policies
Book notes: Robert Triffin, by Ivo Maes with Ilaria Pasotti
Triffin’s story is well told by Maes, whose extensive personal and academic research shines through on page after page
Greening the central banks
What are members of the NGFS doing to ‘green’ their own operations? Officials from the central banks of Belgium, Canada and Morocco highlight some of their initiatives
European central bankers see room for fiscal-monetary co-operation
Pandemic showed it was “critical” for both policies to work together, say central bank governors