News
UK nationalises lender
The UK authorities have taken a second mortgage lender into public ownership after events triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, an investment bank, sparked a withdrawal of deposits.
Benelux authorities part nationalise Fortis
The governments of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have bought sizeable stakes in Fortis, Belgium's biggest lender, after capital fears triggered a cull in shares.
House rejects Paulson plan, stocks plunge
The House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress, has rejected US Treasury secretary Hank Paulson's plan to buy up to $700 billion-worth of distressed assets.
Central banks pledge 7-day funds as plan stalls
Central banks in major financial markets have offered week-long loans in a bid to abate money-market tensions that have further heightened as talks on the US Treasury's plan to buy troubled assets have stalled.
Washington Mutual bust, bought by JP Morgan
US regulators on Thursday night presided over the biggest bank failure in the country's history, closing Washington Mutual, which was then sold to JPMorgan Chase.
Paulson plan is critical: Canada's Carney
Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of Canada, has warned that the plan put forward by the US treasury secretary Hank Paulson to buy up to $700 billion in distressed assets is "critically important".
HKMA to probe Lehman complaints
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is investigating complaints that banks have mis-sold investment products related to Lehman Brothers.
Fed's Fisher still warning on inflation
Richard Fisher, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve who is considered the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) most hawkish member, has signalled that he would still not back a rate cut.
IMF ups crisis loss estimate to $1.3 trillion
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) now expects the US credit crisis to cost the global financial system $1.3 trillion.
Officials back plans to toughen liquidity rules
Regulators and central bankers from around the globe have endorsed plans to strengthen liquidity rules.
Saudi soothes markets as Gulf liquidity woes mount
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency on Thursday became the third central bank in the Gulf this week to counter money-market fears of a liquidity shortage.
Taiwan surprises markets with first cut in 5 years
The Central Bank of China (Taiwan) unexpectedly cut rates for the first time since 2003 on the back of fears that distressed financial markets could trigger a global slowdown in economic activity.
MPC members signal Bank won't cut just yet
Despite Sir John Gieve's indication earlier this week that he would back a rate cut in the coming months, comments by other members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) signal rates will stay at 5% for the time being.
Nordic banks and RBA join Fed swap club
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday stepped up efforts to counter money market tensions, establishing additional swap lines with the Reserve Bank of Australia and three Scandinavian central banks to meet demand for dollar loans.
HKMA counters rumours third-largest lender unsound
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Wednesday moved to placate fears that the Bank of East Asia, the territory's third-largest lender, is in trouble.
Iran appoints Bahmani as governor
Mahmoud Bahmani, the generally secretary of the Central Bank of Iran, is to take the helm after the sacking of Tahmasb Mazaheri, local media has reported.
Main Street feeling financial turmoil: Bernanke
Painting a bleak picture of the American economic landscape, Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, warned US lawmakers on Wednesday that events on Wall Street were beginning to impact the real economy.
Polish PM finally approves deputy nomination
Donald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, will give the nod to Witold Kozinski to become a deputy president at the country's central bank despite earlier misgivings regarding the economist's stance on currency intervention.
More banks will fail if we don't act: Paulson
Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Hank Paulson, the US Treasury secretary, have told lawmakers that a failure to rush through proposals for the purchase of up to $700 billion-worth of distressed assets would cripple the US economy.
Banks favour Frankfurt for dollar auctions
Results of the European Central Bank's (ECB) and Bank of England's dollar auctions indicate the Frankfurt-based institution's operations are attracting more bids because of its more lenient collateral rules.
South African inflation hits record high
South African inflation accelerated to 13.6% in the year to August, the highest level since the government began to compile the data in 1998.
Demand for one-month Fed money soars
The results of the latest of the Fed's Term Auction Facility operations signals the extent to which US banks are becoming ever more reluctant to lend to their counterparts.
Kuwait on standby to inject funds - reports
The Central Bank of Kuwait has said it is ready to pump funds into the country's banking system, local media reported Tuesday.
Goldmans, MS abandon model, seek Fed shelter
And then there were none. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, the last of the big five Wall Street investment banks, have abandoned their business model to secure greater Fed protection and soothe negative market sentiment.