Financial Stability
Netherlands Bank blasts EU financial transaction tax proposals
Netherlands Bank warns of large financial and economic costs associated with the adoption of a financial transaction tax in Europe; says hard evidence of stability benefits are 'lacking'
EBA rejects claims of problems with banks’ recapitalisation plans
European Banking Authority slams reports 'purporting to contain factual information'; says majority of banks’ plans appear to be in line with EBA recommendations
Ndung’u discusses enhancing the supervisory framework in Kenya
Central Bank of Kenya governor Njuguna Ndung’u says issuance of new AML/CFT guidelines and payments systems oversight will improve integrity of Kenyan financial system
IMF paper finds inflexible exchange rate regimes most exposed to hot money
Fund study says relatively inflexible exchange rate regimes need to be counteracted by carefully designed macroprudential policies
High borrowing costs discourage Eastern European firms from tapping banks, says ECB paper
European Central Bank study says many firms in Eastern Europe are put off by the high interest rates charged by foreign banks for a loan
Estonian central bank finds public retaining kroons as memento
Bank of Estonia study finds 81% of respondents are holding on to some kroon cash; not using it for savings shows confidence in the euro, says head of cash and security department
Sub-Saharan Africa regional FSB group discusses challenges faced
FSB regional group discusses 'particular' challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa; growing complexity of banking systems and cross-border spillover effects are causing concern
ECB paper captures effect of eurozone sovereign risk on bond spreads
European Central Bank study says both country-specific and contagion risk contributed to widening of sovereign bond spreads against the German Bund during the financial crisis
Bernanke fears serious economic consequences from burgeoning deficit
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke warned that if the US budget was not brought under control soon, policymakers may not be able to respond to future economic shocks
IMF’s Shinohara urges emerging markets to rethink fiscal approach
Fund deputy managing director Naoyuki Shinohara says advanced economies must walk narrow path to address fiscal imbalances; emerging and developing nations should reconsider pace of adjustment
Fischer calls Israeli economy a ‘miracle’
Bank of Israel governor says peace deal is needed to achieve the growth and prosperity the country deserves; refuses to set timeline for returning interest rates to 'normal level'
Malaysian and Thai central banks agree deeper cooperation
Bank Negara Malaysia and the Bank of Thailand sign agreement to facilitate a cross-border collateral arrangement for eligible financial institutions in the countries
BoE's Posen continues crusade for SME credit
Posen laments decline of political interest in plans for credit easing for SMEs in the UK; reaffirms his drive to improve the provision of finance for smaller non-financial corporations
RBI's Subbarao highlights new ‘trilemma' facing central banks
Reserve Bank of India governor Duvvuri Subbarao says policy contribution of central banks to sustainable sovereign debt policies must be clarified to maintain independence
ECB paper finds evidence in support of exchange rate scapegoat theory
European Central Bank study shows expectations of frequent changes to structural parameters explains instability in the relationship between exchange rates and fundamentals
BoJ’s Yamaguchi warns of ‘vicious cycle’ from de-leveraging of European banks
Bank of Japan deputy governor Hirohide Yamaguchi says Japan should exercise vigilance over potential knock-on effects from introduction of higher capital ratios in Europe
Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines talks Basel III
Amando Tetangco explains how Basel III has a “perverse” impact on countries with strong fiscal discipline and why the Sifi designation is less important than rigorous regulation
Sri Lanka remembers suicide bomb victims
New memorial unveiled at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to mark 16th anniversary of bomb attack on the institution; governor says terrorists failed in aim to paralyse economic growth
Germany highly exposed to US and European contagion effects, says Buba paper
Bundesbank study finds strong contagious effects from the US and Europe, but no effects from the Asia-Pacific region and emerging markets on the German financial system
MAS's Menon calls on Asian countries to boost IMF resources
Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Ravi Menon says Asian countries will need to contribute further to International Monetary Fund to enhance global safety net
Bahrain completes transition to Iban
Commercial banks in Bahrain will now use international bank account numbers as preferred method for international and domestic payments
Basel guidance on settlement risk delayed until June
Updated guidance on FX settlement risk from Basel Committee and CPSS was originally due by end of 2011, but now has an expanded remit
Risk-weighted assets proved useful indicator during crisis, says IMF paper
Fund study shows banks with lower risk-weighted assets were able to weather the recent financial crisis better than those with more risky assets
RBI’s Mohanty discusses limitations of capital controls
Reserve Bank of India executive director Deepak Mohanty says India’s external debt service position has improved, but country’s external position remains vulnerable