Central Banks
Mauritania’s central bank releases new note
Central Bank of Mauritania note to be highest denomination in circulation
Nomura snares RBS's Melph as global head of central bank and sovereign wealth sales
Central banks and sovereign wealth funds have become an increasingly important source of revenue for derivatives dealers.
BoK minutes: Holding rates could cause economic imbalances
Bank of Korea Monetary Policy Committee minutes show decision to hold rates was not so clear cut
Monetary policy has scant impact on commodity prices
European Central Bank research finds the impact of monetary policy on prices is rather limited, though statistically significant
Bank of Israel – minutes of August rate decision
Minutes show meeting participants all supported governor’s decision to raise rates
FSA exodus stokes fears of anaemic operations
Regulator revealed to have shed 121 personnel in second quarter of the year, 128% up on a year previous; insists it still draws top talent, but commentators worry resignations will weaken it
Minister takes heat off BoJ, calls for Diet to do more against deflation
Senior vice minister Hideo Hiraoka says government must employ fiscal and industrial policy to quell deflation; comments add to growing body of support for Bank of Japan’s policy stance
Romania to review calls to ban coin featuring anti-Semite
National Bank of Romania to reconsider circulation of coin portraying religious leader who called for exile of Jews from country; move follows protests from Jewish community
Freddie Mac reports $6 billion loss in second quarter
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation shows a $6 billion loss as strenuous conditions persist in US housing market; agency asks for extra $1.8 billion in Treasury assistance
Basel III watered down by politics and not fit for purpose, says CLSA risk chief
The most recent draft of the Basel III proposals has been watered down by politics, according to an Asian risk officer
FDIC’s general counsel resigns
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation general counsel Michael Bradfield becomes second high profile figure to leave this week
Minimum capital requirements increase systemic risk
Netherlands Bank research notes that Basel II capital requirements foster homogeneity
Fannie Mae posts lowest loss since conservatorship
Fannie Mae reports a $1.2 billion loss, the lowest quarterly loss since its conservatorship
New Zealand mulls lightening banks’ reporting load
Reserve Bank of New Zealand seeks to remove doubling in reporting requirements and bring standards for Kiwi banks in line with international practice; mooted changes expected to reduce compliance cost
BoK’s Kim: Asia was well prepared for market turmoil
Bank of Korea governor Kim Choong-soo says Asian crisis taught region many lessons that helped prepare them in onset of the last crisis
Top US economic adviser Christina Romer quits
Chair of US President’s Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer resigns, citing family reasons; thought to be interested in Janet Yellen’s post at San Francisco Fed
Europe has turned a corner: Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet says economy back on track; slower growth expected despite positive figures in second quarter
IMF’s Min on Fund’s role in safeguarding systemic risk
Dominique Strauss-Kahn's special adviser Min Zhu highlights excess liquidity, international interest rate differentials and systemic risk as future issues
New Turkish notes spark spike in printing costs
Central Bank of Turkey’s Annual Report shows improved lira notes caused banknote manufacture costs to leap by more than half; governor Durmuş Yılmaz praises inflation targeting framework