Financial Stability
Sweden takes "precautionary" payments measure
The Riksbank has relaxed collateral rules for transactions through its RIX payments system as a precaution against money and bond market stress.
Denmark forced to back up second bank
The National Bank of Denmark has provided emergency liquidity to another of the country's banks, it emerged Monday.
Liquidity black holes
The current crisis has seen financial giants torpedoed by a lack of liquidity, which has rapidly transformed into questions over solvency. Conversations at SIBOS, the annual gathering of people in the business of liquidity delivery - payment system…
Central banks return to collective action
After a series of individual efforts aimed at resolving money market tensions, the world's major central banks resorted to collective action on Thursday, injecting as much as $180 billion (€124.75 billion) into interbank markets through various swaps and…
World Bank to "name and shame" remitters
The World Bank has launched an online database to "name and shame" providers of remittance services around the world.
Government still not at the SEPA table
European governments who fail to move on SEPA must be shamed into action, said Jean-Michel Godeffroy, the director general for payment systems at the European Central Bank.
China to be No.2 in payments
China could overtake the eurozone as the world's second biggest payments market early next decade, according to a new report.
Interview: Carlo Tresoldi
"Without intervention it will be difficult to meet the timescale of 2010 for migration to the new Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) instruments," Carlo Tresoldi told Centralbanknews.com on Tuesday.
Trends in large-value payments
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York identifies global trends in large-value payments.
Global factors have greater impact on EM inflows
The significance of global factors on the volatility of capital flows to emerging countries have increased in recent years relative to country-specific factors, a new paper from the Bank of Spain finds.
Tumpel-Gugerell on SEPA for cards
Once SEPA for credit transfers and direct debits are in place, the European Payments Council will devote its full energy on to a harmonised and integrated cards market, said Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, a member of the executive board of the European…
Triple shock leaves Wall Street in disarray
News of the Lehman Brothers' demise, the sale of Merrill Lynch and major concerns over the health of a range of other financial institutions has put the risk of rapid contagion and a systemic meltdown of the financial sector back at the top of central…
A mix of the old and new for central banks
While leading central banks around the world on Monday took similar steps to those seen in recent months to inject liquidity into fear-ridden money markets, the American authorities' response to the latest shocks signals a distinct shift in policy.
Banks step in with superfund
Ten of the world's biggest banks have joined forces to create a $70 billion liquidity fund intended to mitigate the impact of the latest round of financial turmoil.
Mistakes made on liquidity - Tumpel-Gugerell
The current crisis shows central bankers and regulators underestimated liquidity risk, admitted the European Central Bank's Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell.
Interdependence requires payment overhaul
Central banks need to adjust their oversight of payment and settlement systems to the new reality of heightened interdependence in financial markets, said Haruyuki Toyama, a deputy director general at the Bank of Japan at SIBOS, an industry forum…
We saw crunch looming, says Canada's Dodge
David Dodge, a former governor of the Bank of Canada, has said that central bankers knew that "ridiculous" mortgage-backed securities would precipitate a credit crunch.
Zimbabwe permits shops to deal in foreign money
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on Thursday authorised a small number of the country's businesses to sell goods for foreign currency.
Stability role necessitates new policy instruments
Central bankers should be given an additional policy instrument if they are asked to ensure financial stability, said Hans Genberg, the executive director responsible for research at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
Come together, says ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo
Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo, a member of the ECB's executive board, on Tuesday urged central banks to collaborate more closely in providing liquidity and stability to global financial markets.
Central banks must abandon finance sector: Rogoff
Kenneth Rogoff, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, has urged central banks to stop supporting their beleaguered finance industries.
Philadelphia Fed offers virtual help to homeowners
The Philadelphia Federal Reserve has launched an online resource centre in a bid to help prevent foreclosures and lessen their negative influence on neighbourhoods.
Multilateral agencies begin Georgia mission
Officials from multilateral agencies landed in Georgia on Monday to begin a 13-day needs-assessment mission.
Central bankers back Fannie and Freddie takeover
Central bankers worldwide have endorsed the US Treasury's de-facto nationalisation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) that insure about half of the US's mortgage stock.