News
CIC arm to raise $28 billion through bond issuance: reports
Central Huijin Investment, part of China’s sovereign wealth fund, set to offer bonds to private investors; joins state investment companies in Singapore and the Middle East in tapping bond markets
Banks can deal with refinancing burden: ECB
European Central Bank gives vote of confidence to lenders, pointing out banks were able to refinance $2.4 trillion in maturing debt between 2007 and June this year
Washington begins writing out reliance on ratings agencies
Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Office of Thrift Supervision begin search for new measure of creditworthiness
Bank leaps to defence of off-target inflation forecasts
Bank of England lifts inflation predictions on volatility from short-term shocks, mounting spirited defence of erroneous predictions to date; slightly lowers growth expectations
New York Fed details how it plans to implement latest policy move
New York Federal Reserve says it will hold levels of domestic securities at $2.054 trillion by buying long-term Treasuries; plans to steer away from scarce markets
King takes firm line on QE, direct lending
Bank of England governor Mervyn King says small businesses’ problems won’t be solved by direct help from the central bank; stresses that banks will be weaned off liquidity support
RBI moots new bank licences to increase competition
Reserve Bank of India says it may issue new bank licences; higher capital requirements are expected
FOMC pledges to maintain scale of asset purchases
Federal Reserve fails to announce additional quantitative easing but pledges to keep size of purchases at current levels; calls for more easing spurred by weak jobs data
Commentators sharpen knives ahead of Bank’s forecasts
Leading media outlets criticise Bank of England’s forecasting methods ahead of Wednesday Inflation Report; former Bank economists say new model welcome but will not remedy rate-setters unfounded optimism, which underpins off-target predictions
Sarb bill passes in parliament’s lower house
South Africa’s National Assembly approves package of amendments edifying central bank law against shareholder machinations
Israel’s Fischer starts search for new bank supervisor
Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fischer appoints committee to find replacement for departing bank supervisor Rony Hizkiyahu; hails Hizkiyahu’s leadership in a difficult time
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.
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
ECB flags concerns over new capital rules
New capital rules may incentivise banks to dump risky assets on central bank
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
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
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