News
Finland’s central bank unveils first volume of official history
Bank of Finland publishes first of two-part history; describes how governor fought to stabilise national economy during the Great Depression
Bernanke holds first press conference
Federal Reserve chairman reiterates US commitment to strong dollar, voices concern over shift in outlook for US debt
China to broaden cross-border renminbi trade settlement
People’s Bank of China director of monetary policy Li Bo says central bank plans to expand pilot for cross-border renminbi trade to more regions on the mainland
S&P puts Japan on negative outlook
Standard and Poor’s places Japan’s long-term credit rating on negative outlook; Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa forecasts economy will contract in first two quarters
West African central bank reopens offices in Ivory Coast: reports
West Africa’s regional central bank resumes operations in Ivory Coast
Mexico chooses new deputy governor
Bank of Mexico chief economist Manuel Ramos Francia appointed deputy governor
More change at the Bank of Lithuania
New deputy chairman of the board of the Bank of Lithuania appointed; in the same week as new governor starts
Co-founder of Central Banking dies
William Clarke CBE was a co-founder and former chairman of Central Banking Publications
Greece deficit revision sparks default concerns from analysts
Eurostat revises Greece’s deficit to GDP upwards by almost a percentage point; analysts reiterate need for Greece to restructure debt
Italy's Draghi seals Sarkozy's support for ECB job
French president Nicolas Sarkozy backs Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet as head of the European Central Bank
Kosovo’s acting governor to take helm of central bank permanently
Kosovo selects acting head of Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo Gani Gërguri to replace former governor Hashim Rexhepi
CIC to receive up to $200 billion in new funds: reports
China Investment Corp to get injection of between $100 billion and $200 billion as Beijing attempts to find home for excess reserves
Hong Kong plans to regulate credit-rating agencies
Hong Kong announces it will begin regulating credit-rating agencies from June; agencies and analysts must apply for licences
Fed historian Meltzer scoops 2011 Bradley Prize
Author of definitive history of the Federal Reserve Allan Meltzer to receive a 2011 Bradley Prize
Role of Fannie, Freddie failure in crisis has been underplayed: ex-Fed’s Warsh
Recently departed governor Kevin Warsh tells Central Banking that decision to take government-sponsored enterprises into state ownership had significant ramifications
RBA governor ahead of HKMA chief on pay scale
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens overtakes Hong Kong Monetary Authority chief executive as one of the highest paid central bank heads
Ex-Italy governor should face prison, says prosecutor
Italian prosecutor demands three-and-a-half year jail sentence for former Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio’s alleged involvement in failed Banca Nazionale del Lavoro takeover
New York Fed RMBS sales go smoothly
Auctions of AIG legacy portfolio delivering a solid result for the Fed
BoE stability committee sets June date for first meet
Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee to meet in mid-June; governor to hold press conference
Lithuania’s new governor outlines challenges ahead
Well-balanced, sustainable growth the priority, Vitas Vasiliauskas, new governor of the Bank of Lithuania, tells CentralBanking.com; plays down meeting Maastricht criteria
Austria’s Ittner calls on domestic banks to raise capital buffers
National Bank of Austria executive director Andreas Ittner says country’s largest banks will need to raise their Tier I capital ratio to meet foreign competition
Malaysia reappoints Zeti as governor
Bank Negara Malaysia announces reappointment of Zeti Akhtar Aziz as governor. She will serve for another five-year term
China demands banks conduct stress tests on property loans
Chinese banks must carry out new stress tests
Singapore challenges Hong Kong over global yuan hub status
Singapore agrees to open Chinese bank to clear yuan trades; Hong Kong’s plans to become centre for offshore yuan trade at risk