News
Commission paper sheds light on dangers of shadow banking
The potential for shadow banking to damage the wider banking system and disrupt the macro-prudential aims of the ECB has been highlighted in the latest green paper from the European Commission
Tighter euro rules will also target trade surplus countries, says González-Páramo
Europe needs to create new mechanisms to fulfill the duties of ‘missing institutions’ to ensure the euro can survive. New monitoring capabilities will also target trade surplus countries, says ECB board member
Euro has benefited smaller states, says Polish central bank chief
National Bank of Poland president Marek Belka tells conference that the euro has had a substantial positive impact for smaller European countries
International regulators uneasy over Volcker rule
Ban on proprietary trading could affect liquidity in non-US bond markets, regulators argue
Central Bank of Egypt readies new supervisory framework
The Central Bank of Egypt nears completion of banking supervision makeover conducted with the assistance of European central banks
Sants to leave UK’s FSA in June
Financial Services Authority chief bows out well before prudential powers shift to the Bank of England next year; Bailey to take over prudential regulation role
Gensler defends new CFTC block trade proposals
Revamped rules were not designed to mirror scope of old exemptions, CFTC chair tells FIA conference
FSB to reform external audits of financial institutions
Financial Stability Board in major drive to ensure external audits of financial institutions provide more relevant information to prudential supervisors, regulators and investors
IMF board approves €28 billion for Greece
IMF releases first tranche of funds as part of Greece’s ‘exceptionally high-risk’ economic adjustment programme; Iceland repays some IMF debt early
King ‘baffled’ by suggestion of internal investigation
Governor of the Bank of England says he is “baffled” by Treasury Select Committee recommendation that the central bank investigate its own handling of the financial crisis
SNB commits to controversial exchange rate policy
Swiss national bank pledges to protect minimum exchange rate against the euro; says currency value is 'still high'
Fitch warns UK over AAA rating
Fitch shifts UK rating outlook to negative; raises expectations for budget announcement later this month
Liikanen urges controlled and timely policy readjustments
Governor of the Bank of Finland applauds impact of emergency ECB policy steps and talks of careful unwinding of positions
Fed launches Twitter account
Federal Reserve Board to 'tweet' information on speeches and reports to the Congress, among other items
Juncker confirms release of latest funds for Greece
Eurogroup approves second adjustment programme in Greece; first instalment of €39.4 billion of emergency funding to be released
Moody’s downgrades Cyprus to junk status
Rating agency drops rating for Cypriot government bonds to Ba1; says concerns over banking sector’s exposure to Greece are to blame
Norway lowers benchmark rate again
Norges Bank surprises markets by announcing 0.25 percentage point cut to key policy rate; governor says continuing downturn abroad and strong krone are keeping inflation low and "weighing on growth"
China prepares for MPC overhaul
State news agency reveals new members of monetary policy committee; all three are senior academics in the country
Fed releases stress test results early
Federal Reserve reveals results of latest bank stress testing two days early; finds majority of largest US banks would continue to meet expectations for capital adequacy despite large projected losses
Weidman explains plummeting Bundesbank profit
President of the Deutsche Bundesbank explains why profit dropped drastically in 2011; increased risks led central bank to boost buffers
BoJ to continue easing until it hits 1% inflation goal
The Bank of Japan says it plans to continue "powerful easing" until a 1% inflation target is in sight but rejects motion to increase its asset purchase programme by another 5 trillion yen
Hong Kong and Malaysia launch investment and settlement pilot platform
Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Bank Negara Malaysia and Euroclear Bank launch new pilot platform for cross-border investment and settlement of debt securities; culmination of work started in 2008
Draghi urges government action to spur recovery
President of the European Central Bank discusses internal and external eurozone competition and calls on countries to act during period of relative financial stability to advance economic reforms
Kenyan parliament clears central bank governor
Chaotic debates in Kenyan parliament result in Njuguna Ndung'u being cleared of personal responsibility over collapse of Kenyan shilling