News
Ireland’s bad bank forced to slash profit forecast
Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency says €4.8 billion profit estimate was based on exaggerated figures from banks; chairman Frank Daly “disappointed and disturbed” by banks’ distortion
Differing sovereign debt haircuts to be included in EU stress tests: reports
Reports quote German banking officials as saying that extreme scenarios will apply steep haircuts to PIIGS sovereign debt, but none to bunds or French paper
Azerbaijan to move to DSGE model
National Bank of Azerbaijan will switch to consolidated DSGE framework by year-end; deputy research director says model valued for overall coherence and ability to factor in irrational behaviour
Ukraine President in bid to strengthen central bank independence
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych submits draft bill to enhance central bank’s independence; measures lengthen governor’s term, increase number of deputies and prohibit party membership
ECB attacks Bucharest over central bank pay cuts
European Central Bank criticises Romania’s decision to impose wage cuts on central bankers after its government failed to consult Frankfurt
Founding MPC member leaves UK fiscal watchdog after three months
Office of Budget Responsibility head Sir Alan Budd steps down after barely three months on the job
Bangkok names new central bank governor
Thailand’s cabinet selects former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Prasarn Trairatvorakul to take over as central bank head; markets, analysts welcome announcement
Microfinance not a silver bullet for Africa: Nigeria, Ghana governors
Nigerian governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Ghanaian chief Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur say credit issuance is constrained by factors other than just access; requires deeper change
Protests at Icelandic central bank on car loan rules
Several hundred demonstrators congregate around central bank in peaceful protest against delinking of car loans from foreign currency exchange rates; rule change could see up to 10% of Icelanders hit with higher repayments
Governors gloomy on outlook for pan-African currency
South African, Nigerian and Ghanaian central bank governors say path to regional and continent-wide single currency littered with obstacles; single currency will not correct underlying problems
Greek debt crisis sparks widening of almost all global CDS spreads
Cost of protecting against a Greek default up 190% in three months to mid-June as CDS spreads widened for 93% of sovereign debt on back of sovereign debt crisis in Europe
NIESR director to succeed Kate Barker on MPC
Martin Weale set to join Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee in time for August meeting
IMF resumes financial aid to Ukraine
Fund approves new application for loans after funding was cut off in dispute over its burgeoning fiscal deficit
ECB handled Greek crisis well: CentralBanking.com readers
CentralBanking.com poll shows more than 40% approval rating for European Central Bank’s handling of the Greek debt crisis
Foreign holdings of US Treasuries rise as supply for agency securities runs dry
Fed data show official-sector holdings of US agency securities fell after 12 straight weeks of gains
Netherlands’ Wellink survives resignation calls
Calls for Netherlands Bank governor to quit followed damning report into the central bank’s handling of failure of DSB
Iran’s central bank needs greater independence: research group
An Iranian research centre says Iran’s central bank requires greater autonomy from government if it wants to battle inflation
Central bank bill passed by Ireland’s lower house
Dáil TDs approve bill which will merge central bank and financial regulator by slim majority
Faith in Fed's omnipotence must be challenged, says Rajan
University of Chicago professor and former IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan slams view that Federal Reserve can “wave a magic wand” to cure United States’ economic ills
EXCLUSIVE: Nigeria to cut out universal banking
Nigerian governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi says new guidelines similar to Volcker rule will prohibit lenders’ engagement in non-banking activities; takeover deals for bailed out banks near completion
EXCLUSIVE: Nigeria’s Sanusi explains banking sector bloodletting
Nigerian central bank chief Sanusi Lamido Sanusi explains why he had to “decimate” opposition to his sweeping bank reforms; says Volcker rule poses no conflict with the true task of banks
Klaus Regling to head euro bailout vehicle
German economist and former director general Klaus Regling to head European Financial Stability Facility set up to bail out troubled eurozone states
Crisis shed light on corporate governance challenges: Bank’s head of risk
Bank's chief of risk oversight Steve Miller says questions have emerged on corporate governance issues, ranging from accountability of bank boards, to directors’ understanding of their products
EXCLUSIVE: We must review how monetary policy impacts prices, says Plosser
President of Philadelphia Fed says central bankers need to rekindle research into monetary transmission in order to better understand relationship between monetary policy and inflation