Financial Stability
De Larosière decries world monetary ‘anti-system’
Central bankers need to work together to identify and address macro-economic imbalances; system of co-ordinated currency boards could help absent functioning monetary system, says former IMF chief
Canadian government wields macro-prudential power, IMF paper says
Government control over high loan-to-value mortgages has successfully taken some heat out of the Canadian housing market since the economy began to recover
The international monetary ‘anti-system’
A network of systemic risk boards might improve stability in the absence of a viable international financial system, writes Jacques de Larosière.
ECB's Mario Draghi faces ongoing German ‘angst’
ECB president to face further German resistance on interest rates, banking union and OMTs – with Germany’s constitutional court ruling likely more problematic than some observers believe.
Central bank support for CCPs and TRs
The wider use of central counterparties and trade repositories may pose challenges for central banks. Carlos León, Clara Machado and Ricardo Mariño explain the tactics central banks are adopting.
FSB issues peer review on ‘uneven' progress to end credit ratings reliance
Basel-based Financial Stability Board says its members must not replace mechanistic reliance on credit rating agencies with an equally narrow substitute
Kohn compares UK and US macro-prudential experience
The former Fed vice-chair and member of the BoE's financial policy committee says any arrangement needs central bank in 'major role'
Constâncio calls for centralised deposit insurance scheme
European Central Bank’s Vítor Constâncio welcomes legislators deal on deposit guarantees but insists they are ‘only a little part’ of what is necessary
New Zealand securities settlement system could go private
Reserve Bank of New Zealand issues public consultation on future of two major settlement systems; NZClear could be separated from Esas and moved into private sector
Book notes: The Map and the Territory: Risk, Human Nature and the Future of Forecasting
The Map and the Territory is an enigmatic title for a book written by a former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan.
Book notes: Fragile by Design: The Political Origins of Banking Crises and Scarce Credit
Markets for goods and labour depend vitally on the institutions that underpin them, say Charles Calomiris and Stephen Haber
Monetary and macro-prudential co-ordination works well when pulling in same direction
Monetary and macro-prudential policy co-ordination brings benefits when they are both aiming at the output gap, but not when the regulator emphasises financial stability
FX lending in China tops $1 trillion, new BIS figures show
BIS's Robert McCauley estimates FX loans to China hit $1 trillion last year, though the recent renminbi depreciation may now cause lenders to think twice
EBA stress tests prove contentious: have your say
Market analysts raise concerns over the lack of a deflationary scenario in the forthcoming EU wide stress test; CentralBanking.com poll asks if the tests are strict enough
New Zimbabwe governor demands transparency
John Mangudya backs planned reform at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and calls for a more ‘transparent and responsible’ institution
New Riksbank data finds household debt higher than previously thought
Study by the central bank puts average debt ratio for households with mortgages at 313%, roughly double the official national average
Albania governor says lack of European co-ordination exacerbated crisis spread
Bank of Albania governor says big European banking groups can transmit global and European shocks to small economies in south-eastern Europe
Yves Mersch says EU treaty change could entrench monetary and banking union
Changing the EU treaties could, according to Mersch, help strengthen the institutional framework underpinning the Economic and Monetary Union
Bank of Italy wary of emerging market risk
Italy’s central bank reports improving financial conditions in the eurozone, but remains wary of low inflation and emerging market slowdown
Finland deputy: Banking union may 'exacerbate conflict' for national supervisors
Banking union is envisaged to lessen the role that national interest plays in bank supervision, but Pentti Hakkarainenin warns of potential short-term setbacks
Bank of Korea expresses macroprudential concerns
Bank of Korea says the financial system is ‘generally’ stable, but the corporate sector is struggling with static profitability and household debt is rising under some measures
BoE paper emphasises uncertainty over risk to argue for simpler regulation
Misguided ‘quest for ever-greater precision' in bank regulation is creating ‘ever-lengthening regulatory rulebooks' that are hard to communicate and bad at predicting outcomes
BoE's Cunliffe warns of 'sustained and powerful pressure' on UK house prices
Deputy governor for financial stability says it would be 'dangerous to ignore momentum in housing market' and cautions that new prudential measures have yet to be tested
Yellen promises ‘tailored' regulation for community lenders
Fed chair says regulator will become ‘smarter' in applying rules to ensure smaller lenders can thrive, while still addressing ‘too big to fail'