Feature
The ghost at the IMF’s Tokyo feast
Robert Pringle looks back at the main themes of the IMF’s annual meeting, which was held in October in Tokyo, and forward to prospects for 2013
The Bretton Woods transcripts
Bretton Woods was one of the world’s most important financial conferences, but one that was little known about until now
Striving for a strategic role for risk management
Risk management needs to be split from control functions to provide boards with a holistic view of qualitative and quantitative risks
Banking union divides Europe
The European Central Bank is set to gain responsibility for the supervision of the continent’s banks in a move unlikely to restore trust with an already sceptical German public
Taming the finance monster
The best way to resolve global financial instability is for the owners of capital to assert themselves, with sovereign funds well positioned to take the lead, say Paul Woolley and Dimitri Vayanos
The future of bank capital
Prudential regulators are relying on the Modigliani-Miller theorem to hold true as banks are required to hold substantially more capital. But could their faith in the theorem be misplaced?
Where the BIS falls short
Robert Pringle compares the analysis and policy recommendations offered by the BIS in its latest annual report with those in his new book, The Money Trap
The beginning of the end for renminbi internationalisation?
The People’s Bank of China has surprised market watchers by taking critical steps to liberalise the renminbi and interest rate policy in the country
Central bank's crucial role in Myanmar's new economic reform
The Central Bank of Myanmar is on the verge of securing operational independence and a budget that will enable it to double its headcount to help it oversee rapid economic reform
Keeping sight of the real inflation target
The appropriate construction of CPI indexes is vital to maintain public confidence in inflation targets. Jill Leyland points out issues in current index construction
Can Japan afford to grow?
Japan has managed to maintain living standards during its two ‘lost decades’, but its efforts to do so now represent obstacles to achieving sustainable growth. By Ryo Watabe.
Germany's concerns about the ECB’s bloated balance sheet
The ECB’s unconventional monetary policy actions have caused a stir in Germany. The Bundesbank's Joachim Nagel speaks with Klaus Engelen about the risks the ECB now faces
The flaws in the Fed's new macro stress test proposals
New macro stress test proposals by the Fed and ECB appear to conflict with rules put forward by the UK, and are raising concern in countries where financial institutions are relatively robust
Designing a new global financial architecture
Developing a financial architecture for the future requires substantial thought about international capital flows and the role of institutional investors. By Bernd Braasch
System risk lessons from FX loans in Central and Eastern Europe
The build-up of forex loans in the CEE presented a systemic challenge to the region's financial stability. Piotr J Szpunar argues this points to a need for macro-prudential rules in Europe
Germany’s political elite treads tightrope of public opinion on euro
Citizens of Europe’s most powerful economy have never had a real affection for the euro, making Germany’s role in resolving the continent’s debt crisis extremely tricky. By Norbert Walter
Berlin and the Bundesbank in spat over IMF
The Bundesbank has played a pivotal role in building Germany’s reputation as defender of monetary discipline at the IMF. But Berlin’s efforts to bail out Greece have damaged this reputation
Renminbi to shake up the reserves management status quo
China is unlikely to fully liberalise its currency controls during the next five years. But this does not look set to prevent the renminbi from achieving full reserve currency status. By Gary Smith
Reserve Bank of India threatened by government’s economic policies
The Reserve Bank of India had a ‘good crisis’ and has earned a strong reputation for integrity and pragmatism during the past 15 years. But its efforts are threatened by current economic policy
Collateral eligibility: the ultimate macro-prudential policy weapon?
The most potent policy weapon at the disposal of central banks when it comes to fulfilling macro-prudential supervision are asset eligibility rules, says William Allen
A sovereign wealth case study from Ghana
Ghana decided to join the ranks of countries with a sovereign wealth fund after the country discovered oil in 2010. Efi Chalamish and Steve Opata describe how the fund operates
New fault lines in financial regulation
Deleveraging could trigger another crippling credit crunch in Europe at a time when the recovery is still fragile. By Jacques de Larosière
Inflation targeting: a child of our time?
Starting in 1989 inflation targeting has come of age. But does it have the durability to withstand severe economic and financial shocks, or was it simply a child of its time that cannot mature?
Asia to develop emergency financial stability safety net
Charles Adams and Lei Lei Song chart the development of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization and explain three ways to develop Asia’s liquidity support mechanism