Financial Stability
IMF Global Financial Stability Report, Sep 2006
The International Monetary Fund published its Global Financial Stability Report for September 2006 on 12 September. In the report the IMF warned that the risks of a global slowdown had increased due to higher interest rates, surging oil prices and an…
Fed's Kohn on evolution of retail payments
In the speech 'Evolution of retail payments and the role of the Federal Reserve' given on 11 September Donald Kohn of the Federal Reserve said technology advances and the increasing use of electronically deposited checks could spell the end of the…
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on SEPA
In the speech 'From theory to practice: let's roll out the cables' given on 7 September Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said that in spite of good progress in the design phase, some issues of concern remain, in particular in the SEPA for cards.
Barbados central bank on Basel II progress
Banks in Barbados are moving ahead with implementing the Advanced IRB guidelines in Basel II for 2012.
BIS paper on business continuity
A new paper from the Bank of International Settlements sets outs business continuity principles for financial market participants and authorities.
How to face natural disasters
A report on the effects of Hurricane Katrina considers the lessons learned from managing a catastrophic event, including dealing with a sudden fall in the availability of cash and when electronic systems fail.
SPEED: the new journal for financial plumbers
SPEED - short for Settlement, Payment, E-money and E-trading Development - is a new journal aimed at all those policy-makers in banks, central banks and system operators who are trying to ensure that the financial infrastructure, often called the …
Securities Settlement Service may cut costs
Costs for securities settlement services could fall as much as 20% if the European Central Bank sets up a single platform in the eurozone, a person familiar with the deliberations told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday 17 August.
SBV strengthens communications, security
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has selected advanced technologies from Cisco Systems to help increase operational efficiencies in its countrywide infrastructure and provide a platform to regulate the banking system.
BOJ steps in after Tokyo blackout
The Bank of Japan began supplying emergency funds Monday 14 August to the interbank market after a blackout halted fund settlements.
Albania's Fullani: Prevention rather than recovery
In the speech 'Prevent rather than recover' given on 24 July Ardian Fullani of the Bank of Albania said the concept of providing financial stability does not differ a lot from the logic of maintaining macroeconomic stability.
Counterfeiters finally crack the Euro note
According to this article published on The New Zealand Herald's website on Wednesday 2 August, the amount of counterfeit currency discovered in the 12 euroland countries is now running at 600,000 notes a year - roughly the same as before the single…
New Zealand's new coins go into circulation
Smaller, lighter 50, 20, and 10 cent coins were released Monday 31 July in New Zealand. The new coins retain the same "heads" and "tails" designs but the 10 cent coin is copper-coloured, the RBNZ said.
BoE's Gieve on financial system risks in the UK
In the speech 'Financial system risks in the UK - Issues and challenges' given on 25 July Sir John Gieve of the Bank of England said the probability of a contagious financial crisis may have fallen but its impact, if it ever happened, could be more…
Roseman on coin and currency issues
In testimony 'Coin and currency issues' given on 19 July Louise Roseman of the Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems said a law requiring the Treasury Department to issue new Presidential $1 coin designs every year may not foster…
ACU calls for new members
The Asian Clearing Union (ACU) concluded its two-day technical committee meeting Wednesday 19 July calling for the admission of countries beyond the ESCAP Asia/Pacific region.
ECB sets Nov 2007 date for TARGET2
The European Central Bank on Friday 21 July confirmed the starting date for its payment system TARGET2 as 19 Nov 2007.
Comment: Noyer takes Kroes to task
The Bank of France governor, Christian Noyer, said on 18 July that the European Commission is "playing a very dangerous game" in attempting to break open the European credit card market. How legitimate are his concerns?
Comment: Rethinking financial stability reporting
The Bank of England recently unveiled its revamped Financial Stability Report. Starting with the title of the publication, the Bank has taken a new approach to both the presentation of report and its content. The changes are an effort to focus the report…
BoE paper on efficient payment systems
The Bank of England Working Paper "The welfare benefits of stable and efficient payment systems" examines the importance of smoothly functioning payment systems to the economy by extending a recently developed theoretical model of banks.
ACU to discuss payment systems efficiency
Members of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) will meet in Dhaka this week to discuss ways to make their payment systems easier to use to boost trade, a Bangladesh central bank official told Reuters.
How do central banks write on financial stability?
This IMF Working Paper, published July 2006, surveys central bank financial stability reports, and proposes a framework for assessing them.
Comment: Will McCreevy's approach work?
The European commissioner for internal market and services, Charlie McCreevy, has called for an industry-driven "code of conduct" to reduce the costs of European cross-border settlement and clearing, rather than propose a directive. Will his famous light…