Financial Stability
Yields soar as Portugal is downgraded
Ten-year yield on Portuguese debt rises sharply as Fitch downgrades Portugal's credit rating to junk status, sparking renewed concerns over the sustainability of the sovereign
Netherlands Bank paper highlights risk of excessive reliance on wholesale funding
Netherlands Bank study says multinational bank subsidiaries’ access to parent bank and wholesale funding can increase instability
Commission unveils contentious Eurobond proposals
European Commission unveils three options for Eurobonds in bid to restore stability in Europe; analysts say the measures are politically unviable and ineffective
Barbados calms public fears over 'counterfeit' banknotes
The Central Bank of Barbados reassures public that notes dated 2007 but bearing the signature of the current governor are genuine; statement in response to several queries
Asset shortages fuel price bubbles: IMF paper
Fund study says higher dependence on intangible capital and scarcity of high-yield assets creates asset-price bubbles
Monetary and financial stability policy are distinct: Riksbank’s Svensson
Riksbank deputy governor Lars Svensson says financial stability policy should not be confused with monetary policy
RBA’s Debelle discusses eligibility criteria for new liquidity scheme
Reserve Bank of Australia assistant governor Guy Debelle says inclusion of self-securitised mortgage-backed securities as eligible collateral in committed liquidity facility will reduce systemic risks
UK Royal Mint unveils Olympic kilo coins
Royal Mint reveals design of first ever coins weighing one kilo; collectors' items designed by esteemed British artists
China and Hong Kong double currency swap agreement
Hong Kong and China double currency swap arrangement; Hong Kong pushes to remain number one offshore renminbi business centre while China proceeds with internationalisation of renminbi
UK financial system faces severe sovereign risks: BoE survey
Bank of England Systemic Risk Survey shows risk managers believe probability of high-impact event in the UK financial system has increased sharply in 2011
Accommodative policies risk triggering interest rate traps: Norges Bank paper
Norges Bank study says low interest rate environments provide banks with incentive to rely on public provisions for liquidity
Hungary seeks assistance from IMF
Hungarian government requests financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund in what has been dubbed a "new type of co-operation"
FSB Asia Regional Consultative Group holds first meeting
Asian regional consultative group gathers in Korea to exchange views on key financial stability issues
Liikanen predicts emerging market over-take in 2013
Bank of Finland governor sees emerging economies overtaking developed as soon as 2013; Bank of Finland renews terms of two key central bank figures
Singapore warns rise in capital outflows may destabilise Asia region
Monetary Authority of Singapore November Financial Stability Review says Asia is vulnerable to a sudden and large reversal of capital flows
Draghi exasperated with eurozone leaders over EFSF
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi expresses frustration at delays from member states to issue new powers to eurozone rescue fund
Industry praises expansion of South Korea’s currency swap arrangements
Senior executives of large enterprises praise Bank of Korea for expanding currency swaplines with Japan and China; industry concerned about slowdown caused by eurozone crisis
Greek reversion to drachma easier than euro conversion, say analysts
If Greece were to leave the eurozone it would have to establish a new currency in record time; analysts explain how the process would be simpler today due to technological advances
Bank of Canada paper urges reform to international monetary system
Bank of Canada study says reforms to international monetary system should focus on flexible exchange rate regimes and coherent macroeconomic policy
US senator renews call for ‘crippling’ sanctions on Central Bank of Iran
Senator Mark Kirk wants foreign financial institutions conducting transactions through the Central Bank of Iran to see access to US financial system cut off, and their US-based assets blocked
Chicago Fed paper explores determinants of asset-price bubbles
Chicago Federal Reserve study says theoretical models that observe relative price deviations from fundamentals are effective in predicting boom-bust cycles
IMF paper models systemic risk in banking sector
Fund study creates model to measure correlation between solvency and liquidity risks in banking system
Insurers and pension funds may retreat from long-term investments, says Praet
European Central Bank executive board member Peter Praet says new regulatory initiatives and low-yield environment is limiting scope for long-term investments
Bank of Canada launches first polymer banknote
Bank of Canada issues first new polymer C$100 banknote into circulation; governor Mark Carney says new bills are at the frontier of banknote technology