Financial Stability
China’s reform of its banking system
Li Ruogu highlights four key areas where China has looked to strengthen its burgeoning banking sector.
Last through the door?
Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania may be the last countries to join the EU, and they are taking very different paths to the euro. Nick Carver reports.
Dear Jean-Claude...
Changing the way the ECB works would improve its image and make your job easier, writes Charles Goodhart in an open letter to the ECB’s president.
RBNZ's Bollard on the New Zealand payment system
In the speech 'New Zealand payment system' given on 11 August Alan Bollard of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said the RBNZ is making protection of New Zealand's $41 billion-a-day payments system its leading priority.
ECB 'Blue Book' on payment and settlement systems
The European Central Bank published the latest addendum to the June 2001 report entitled "Payment and securities settlement systems in the European Union" (third edition) on Tuesday.
ECB paper on large-value payment systems
The ECB Working Paper "Incorporating a 'public good factor' into the pricing of large-value payment systems" considers optimal pricing rules for a public large-value payment system (LVPS) that produces a public good (like prevention of systemic risk) but…
Sweden's central bank signs for RTGS system
Sweden's central bank Sveriges Riksbank has contracted with Italian IT provider Societa Interbancaria per l'Automazione (SIA) for the delivery and implementation of a real time gross settlement (RTGS) system.
ECB sued over euro note security
A company that specialises in anti-counterfeiting technology filed a lawsuit against the European Central Bank on Monday 1 August claiming the euro common currency infringes on a patent issued in 1999.
Systemic risk in alternative payment system design
This European Central Bank Working Paper analyses the consequences of an isolated, sudden and unexpected failure of a bank in alternative interbank payment system designs.
Atlanta Fed's Barron on U.S. and global payments
In the speech 'Responding to change in U.S. and global payments' given on 19 July Patrick Barron of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said a large segment of the U.S. population loves to use checks and they will no doubt remain an important element in…
Minneapolis Fed's Stern on payments system issues
In the speech 'Payments system issues and challenges' given on 15 June, Gary Stern of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis said there is no doubt that payments system change continues apace.
ECB's biannual information on euro counterfeiting
In the first half of 2005, 293,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation, the European Central Bank said on 15 July.
Bank of France live with central banking platform
Trema, a provider of treasury and asset management software for global corporations and financial institutions, announced on Thursday 14 July that the Banque de France is now live with Trema's central banking solution.
Noyer on the establishment of the SEPA
In a speech given on 23 June, Christian Noyer of the Banque de France stressed that it is essential that the efforts put together by the banking industry since 2002 bear their fruit so that the SEPA becomes a tangible reality shortly.
Sweden to discontinue old notes and coins
The Sveriges Riksbank said on Wednesday 29 June that a number of old banknotes and coins to the value of almost SEK 5 billion will cease to be legal tender from 1 January 2006.
RBI to introduce cheque truncation system
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in the process of introducing a national cheque truncation system (NCTS) under a new entity to speed up the retail payment system in the banking sector.
Nigeria plans payment system reforms
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said its major priority following the consolidation of the banking industry is to reform the payments system which currently remains largely cash-based.
The costs of capital inadequacy
Blair Baker reports on why Costa Rica’s central bank cannot afford to lower inflation.
Managing financial research in central banks
All central banks need to motivate and retain top-notch researchers. Philipp Hartmann and Myron Kwast describe how the ECB and the Federal Reserve do it.
Lookouts for financial instability
Can a central bank’s dealers help with market surveillance? Tim Young and John Nugée point to some of the difficulties and possible remedies.
Central banks feel the pinch
A falling dollar and low yields on traditional assets have hit balance sheets hard. Central Banking reports.
How central banks manage their finance
Robert Sleeper analyses the growing risks on central banks’ balance sheets, and asks: should they hold more capital?
Who holds the wealth of nations?
The growth of sovereign wealth funds, often managed outside central banks, has received little attention or analysis. Yet it is a major development in international finance, with implications for central banks writes Andrew Rozanov.