News
AIG makes $15.7 billion offer for Maiden Lane II
New York Fed receives formal offer for bailout vehicle containing AIG’s residential mortgage-backed securities portfolio; insurer in bid to reduce debt to Washington
Canada to launch first polymer note this year
Bank of Canada set to issue new C$100 polymer banknote in November 2011; says entire series will be unveiled in the spring
Markets wobble as Spanish downgrade, eurozone fears bite
Moody’s one notch Spanish downgrade exacerbates investor jitters a day before European Council meets to discuss EFSF, ESM, bailout renegotiations
Clarity, access to information key to financial market infrastructure oversight, say regulators
Consultation report from CPSS and Iosco says central banks, market regulators need clear, specific information to determine which financial market infrastructures need regulation
Quake forces New Zealand to cut
Reserve Bank of New Zealand reduces benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 2.5% following February’s earthquake in Christchurch
Libya’s Bengdara pleads for softer sanctions on central bank: report
Central Bank of Libya governor Farhat Bengdara tells Wall Street Journal he is lobbying for some leniency on central bank sanctions; says cannot return to Tripoli
Ex-Fed economist appointed to Ireland’s Central Bank Commission
Former Federal Reserve economist and special adviser to Ireland’s outgoing finance minister Alan Ahearne appointed to Central Bank of Ireland’s commission
CPSS-Iosco proposes risk standards for CCPs
Central counterparties should be ready for failure of one or two largest customers, regulators suggest
European parliament embraces Tobin tax
Lawmakers throw their weight behind Tobin tax on financial transactions; say global difference of opinion should not stop Europe implementing levy
Libya’s Bengdara in Istanbul: report
Central Bank of Libya governor Farhat Bengdara reportedly confirms relocation to Istanbul as unrest continues; more central bank targeted sanctions possible
Buba’s Weber to return to academia
Bundesbank president Axel Weber to teach at University of Chicago in June following departure from central bank
NY Fed’s Krieger: liquidity backstop for shadow banks vital
New York Federal Reserve executive vice-president Sandra Krieger stresses importance of backstop measures to reduce systemic risk arising from shadow banking activities
Nobel Prizewinner not right for Fed: key Republican senator
Senate Banking Committee ranking member Richard Shelby sets out reasons underpinning party’s repeated rejection of Nobel Prizewinner Peter Diamond for Fed board seat
Investors watch Saudi protests with interest
Sentiment in the bond markets has not been unduly affected by MENA tensions, but Saudi unrest could change that.
Underlying inflation, unemployment should ground mandate: Riksbank’s Svensson
Riksbank deputy governor Lars Svensson calls for refined monetary policy framework focusing on underlying, rather than headline, inflation and unemployment over resource utilisation
EBA’s stress test scenarios revealed: reports
Leaked documents set out scenarios for new round of European bank stress tests
Fed’s Lockhart recommends renewed focus on monetary, credit aggregates
Atlanta Fed president also advocates Taylor-type rule to manage exit
Buba posts €2.2 billion profit
Bundesbank says increased risk provisioning responsible in part for dip from 2009 figures
Tokyo nominates ex-IMF economist to BoJ policy board
Japanese government puts forth academic and ex-IMF economist Sayuri Shirai for Bank of Japan policy board, according to wire reports
Sudan’s Hassan quits
Bank of Sudan governor Sabir Mohamed Hassan steps down from helm of central bank after taking decision not to pursue fourth term in office
RBI launches investigation into shadow banks
Reserve Bank of India says non-banks have now become systemically important
Goldman economist to replace Sentance on Bank’s MPC
Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne names Goldman Sachs’ Ben Broadbent as new member of Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee
Hungary names two external members to MPC
Hungarian parliament nominates two economists as external members to National Bank of Hungary rate-setting committee
Moody’s lowers Greece's credit rating
Greece's credit rating moved from B1 to Ba1 while spreads rise across eurozone periphery