Financial Stability
Bulgarian mint to be split from central bank
BULGARIA - The mint of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), which prints Bulgarian levs, will be split from the BNB and transformed into a state-owned joint stock company as of 2002.
Kuwait's central bank upgrades its internet site
KUWAIT - Kuwait's Central Bank (CBK) has launched its upgraded Internet site, accessible at www.cbk.gov.kw, CBK Governor, Sheikh Salem Abdul Aziz al Sabah, said on 5 November 2001.
Error rate high with euro notes trial in France
FRANCE - Two months before euro notes and coins come into circulation, the financial community is concerned that cashiers in shops and banks will not be ready to use euros and detect fake notes from 1 January.
Testimony of Dolores Smith at the US House of Reps
TESTIMONY - Testimony of Dolores S. Smith, Director, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, 1 November.
The future of online banking
ARTICLE - A letter published in the Financial Times London edition, 31 October, comments on a previous feature the paper reported on the outlook for online banking.
Fed's Smith - Rates dominate credit card pricing
US - The Federal Reserve's director of consumer affairs told a house panel Thursday that interest rates have come to dominate pricing practices for credit cards in recent years, although there is little systematic information about other aspects of card…
Austrian mint ready to recycle notes and coins
AUSTRIA - Austrian federal mint Muenze Oesterreich, a subsidiary of central bank Oesterreichische Nationalbank (ONB), is preparing to begin melting down schilling coins following the introduction of the euro on 1 January.
Brazil c bank to produce notes of BRR2, BRR20
BRAZIL - The central bank will launch notes in denominations of two reals and 20 reals ($1=BRR2.761) in December and next year to help save costs, O Estado de S. Paulo reported.
HKMA Press release on retail payment services
PRESS RELEASE - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has completed a comprehensive review of retail payment services in Hong Kong ("the Review"), which was conducted by an internal task force of the HKMA set up in August 2000.
New automated account system at c bank of Jordan
JORDAN - A $2.9 mln ($3.2 mln euro) worth new automated human resource management and accounting system has been installed at the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ).
Citibank launch c bank securities lending program
US - Citibank Worldwide Securities Services has launched a lending program for central banks.
Omani banks form national ATM network
OMAN - A deal to form a national ATM network called Oman Switch by merging Shamel ATM switch and al-Watani ATM switch was signed at the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) on 17 October in the presence of Hamood bin Sanjoor al-Zadjali, CBO Executive President.
Taiwan Sept bad check ratio 0.86% vs August 0.78%
TAIWAN - Taiwan's bad check ratio in terms of the number of checks issued rose to 0.86% in September from 0.78% in August, the island's central bank said Monday.
Austrian central bank warns of forged euro notes
AUSTRIA - Wolfgang Duchatczek, a director of central bank Oesterreichische Nationalbank (ONB), has warned Austrian consumers to be on the look-out for forged euro banknotes following the launch of the new European single currency on 1 January 2002.
UK Moneybox install cash dispenser in Netherlands
NETHERLANDS - Moneybox Netherlands, a subsidiary of UK Moneybox Corporation, is to install 750 cash dispenser in the Netherlands, the company spokesman said on 23 October.
Hungary's Nat Bank to build new logistics centre
HUNGARY - The National Bank of Hungary plans to build a new logistics centre, also housing the National Mint - Magyar Penzvero - on the outskirts of Budapest or outside the city, the central bank announced on Friday.
Soiled notes turn to paper bricks!
INDIA - The Gujarat headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has installed a Rs 2 crore note-shredder imported from the Netherlands at its regional head-office near Gandhi bridge, said regional director, RBI-Gujarat VS Das.
BOK site flooded with Netizen visitors
SOUTH KOREA - The Bank of Korea (BOK) is drawing more interest in cyberspace, with the BOK reporting that its web site has recorded a monthly average of about 134,000 hits so far this year, twice as much as two years ago.
BNM commemorative coins for sale
MALAYSIA - Coin collectors interested in buying previous issues of commemorative coins produced by Bank Negara Malaysia will have the final chance to do so until year-end.
Singapore MAS to review bank ATM rule in 2-3 years
SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore said Wednesday it will review the restriction on foreign banks' access to local banks' automated teller machine network in two to three years.
ECB net gold reserves decline in Oct 12 week
GERMANY - The Eurosystem's net reserves in gold and gold receivables declined by EUR1 million to EUR128.2 billion in the week ended 12 October, the European Central Bank said Tuesday.
Vietnam's Eximbank begins payments scheme
VIETNAM - The joint stock Commercial Bank for Import and Export of Vietnam, Eximbank, held on 11 October the second phase of bidding for the project "Intrabank payment system and Eximbank's applications."
Speech by Patrick Barron of the Atlanta Fed
SPEECH - Remarks by Patrick K. Barron, Retail Payments Product Director, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, BAI National Electronic Check Collection Conference, Tucson, Arizona, 1 October.
Fed will have single MICR format in 2005
US - The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday 10 October that it will adopt a single standard for magnetic ink character recognition detail on checks by mid-2005.