Reserves
End of sanctions could be double-edged sword for Iranian banks
Iran central bank vice-governor warns domestic banks have work to do before they are opened up to international competition, but Iranian investors see end of sanctions as broadly positive
Bank of Central African States floats novel way of pooling reserves
IMF urges member states in Central African Economic and Monetary Community to comply with requirement to pool FX reserves and earnings; BEAC proposes new method for achieving this
IMF leaves door open to renminbi inclusion in SDR basket
Report says renminbi is lagging behind the four currencies in the current basket, but decision is still wide open; IMF also considering extending existing arrangement by nine months
Global FX volumes climb off record highs
Foreign exchange turnover slips from the record highs registered in October 2014, but is still growing year-on-year
Some emerging markets still dangerously exposed to dollar debt, IMF warns
Spillovers report underscores the importance of net/gross distinction, as improvement in net debt position provides fig leaf to some countries that may be overexposed to US dollar appreciation
PBoC opens interbank bond market to foreign central banks
Move is among the most significant towards RMB liberalisation since QFII, says StanChart's head of central banks; quotas are scrapped and central banks can register for licence through third parties
Nigerian reserves head believes renminbi can ‘complement’ euro and dollar
Lamido Yuguda discusses the benefits of a multipolar system and how the Central Bank of Nigeria is managing its renminbi investments in a new book
Global FX reserves down, dollar allocations up
Valuation effects push US dollar portion of allocated reserves higher while euro slips
China overlooks own foreign investment cap
Hong Kong firm granted $1.2bn QFII quota, above the $1bn cap set in 2009, as world's second-biggest economy takes symbolic step towards opening up capital account
Bascand says RBNZ more alert to risks
Deputy governor says new risk management framework has improved central bank’s ability to deal with risk; discusses reserves management policy and ‘open relationship’ with government
Danish annual report highlights move into equities
National Bank of Denmark implemented new investment strategy in 2014, adding riskier assets including equities and lower-rated government bonds to reserves
Nalm Europe: Scope for improved risk modelling, says RBNZ’s Bascand
Central bank has already gone some way towards revamping its financial management but there is ‘scope to improve further’, deputy governor tells Central Banking conference in London
Fed officials grapple with lift-off details
Minutes from January FOMC meeting reveal extensive discussion about the tools at the Fed’s disposal when it wants to raise rates; idea of higher cap for overnight RRPs explored
Central Asian currencies under threat as Azerbaijan abandons peg
The Central Bank of Azerbaijan’s decision to drop its dollar peg and move to target a basket could have knock-on effects throughout the region, where currencies are already under pressure
The RMB and the SDR review 2015
Yide Qiao and Jiafei Ge present a case for the renminbi joining the ranks of the US dollar, euro, sterling and yen in the IMF’s SDR basket, when the constituents are reviewed later this year
PBoC takes action against tighter liquidity
Cut in reserve requirements seen as effort to ease liquidity due to lunar new year and capital outflows, but may do little more than offset a growing shortage
State Bank of Pakistan slashes rates to decade low
Governor Ashraf Mahmood Wathra strikes upbeat note despite inflation falling significantly below target, as central bank cuts interest rates by 100 basis points
Reserve managers shun the euro, IMF data shows
International Monetary Fund data from the third quarter of 2014 shows a significant hit to euro reserves following negative interest rates
Argentine governor says peso becoming more predictable
Central Bank of Argentina governor Alejandro Vanoli believes the peso is becoming more predictable due to his efforts to control the exchange illegal market
Czech currency intervention and forex reserves
Michal Skorepa and Mojmír Hampl explain how the Czech National Bank’s activities have directly and indirectly affected the value of the koruna, including the impact of direct interventions in 2013
Uganda eyes short-term foreign liabilities as reserves measure
Deputy governor Louis Kasekende says Bank of Uganda has begun to track reserves levels against short-term foreign liabilities such as portfolio outflows; details how QE has hit reserves income
Bank of Lithuania invests $100 million into Chinese capital markets
Central bank becomes one of the first in Europe to invest in Chinese securities, as part of a new investment policy seeking higher returns
Balance sheet saw ‘substantial’ growth in past year, says RBA’s Stevens
Combined impact of replenished capital and new financial market operations has seen balance sheet swell, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s annual report for 2014
Bank of Albania board calls for governor to be sacked
Supervisory council gives ‘full support' to first deputy following arrest of governor Ardian Fullani, believed to be linked to central bank vault theft uncovered in July