News
US Fed committee keeps close eye on global developments
Federal Open Market Committee watching impact of global events on risks to its economic outlook; notes mixed developments as it holds interest rate target
Capital controls essential for small open economies, Guðmundsson says
Small open economies cannot conduct fully independent monetary policy if they are unwilling to use capital controls at least some of the time, Icelandic governor says
People: Ireland appoints first female deputy governor; Sri Lanka also names deputy
Irish central bank appoints first female deputy governor; Sri Lanka appoints deputy; change in leadership at Chinese foreign exchange regulator; and more
RBNZ holds but hints at future easing as outlook worsens
New Zealand dollar reaches four-month low as Reserve Bank of New Zealand hints at prolonged inflation battle
Parliamentary enquiry criticises Irish central bank
The Central Bank of Ireland failed to address issues in the country’s banking sector with its ‘light touch’ regulation, an Irish parliamentary report finds
Bank of England prepares to overhaul ageing RTGS system
Central bank will spend year outlining plans for replacement to high-value payments system, keeping an open mind at present as to what features it should have
Bundesbank over halfway towards gold repatriation goal
Deutsche Bundesbank repatriated 210 tonnes of gold in 2015, it says; 41% of gold reserves now housed in Frankfurt
State Bank of Pakistan reveals first MPC members
Formation of monetary policy committee is part of a broader drive towards independence and inflation targeting; one seat remains unfilled
Future Fund shifts from equities to cash and achieves above-target return in 2015
Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Future Fund, shifted from equities to cash to reduce its risk exposure, senior management say; yearly returns were above target
BoE’s Forbes weighs up varying policy paths in US and UK
Bank of England MPC member Kristin Forbes sees ‘striking’ similarities between the countries’ labour markets, but this does not necessarily mean the same policy is appropriate
Andrew Bailey agrees to lead FCA
PRA chief executive accepts top job at UK’s other financial regulator after being asked to take the role, but may not make the move for some months
National Bank of Belgium closes scientific library
The National Bank of Belgium will close its research library in Brussels in March; diminished need for the facility due to more widespread access to electronic resources, bank says
Carney says supervisors must improve understanding of electronic trading
BoE officials say work is progressing on understanding the risks and impact on ‘system dynamics’ caused by rise of electronic trading, but emphasise it is not all bad
Kosovo’s ELA rules are ‘major improvement’, say IMF staff
Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo adopts regulation setting out the conditions for emergency fund provision; staff at IMF welcome the additional ‘detail and rigour’
Cyprus on track to complete programme by March, finance minister tells MEPs
Cyprus will continue with fiscal discipline and market-orientated reforms once adjustment programme ends, finance minister tells European parliament; rejects ‘tax haven’ claims
Policy interactions may drive global banking contraction, BoE economists find
The combination of unconventional monetary policy and regulation may cause ‘substantial’ spillovers as banks cut cross-border lending, economists including Kristin Forbes find
People: Tombini takes FSB committee chair; Al-Wazir moves to IMF
Alexandre Tombini is appointed to chair budget committee; former PMA governor joins IMF; Kazakh sovereign wealth fund replaces its chairman; and more
South Korea’s new SWF chief sets sights on ‘top ten’
Former World Bank executive director takes office as CEO of the Korea Investment Corporation; sets out desire to grow assets under management beyond $200 billion
Kuroda and Davos panel see little alternative to divergence
Bank of Japan governor warns a synchronised exit from easy policy in the major economies ‘could be worse’ than the ’staggered arrangement’ at present
ECB’s Cœuré calls for new attitude to liquidity
Liquidity in the European banking system should not return to its pre-crisis levels, Benoît Cœuré tells a Davos audience; CMU offers chance to fix problems which caused crisis, he adds
Revised Basel III better reflects bank risk, research finds
Study says 2013 capital rules more in line with actual risk, but can be easily gamed
New Bank Negara Malaysia website gets ‘trial run’
Malaysian central bank launches new website for a trial period, before it becomes fully operational by end of March; existing site will remain functional in the interim
Lane reveals string of transparency initiatives in first speech as Irish governor
Central Bank of Ireland discloses new details on salary structures as governor Lane reveals new minutes, reviews and website
Issing says eurozone status quo is in danger
Former ECB board member says Europe’s monetary union is still plagued by problems caused by absence of political integration, which could pull the eurozone apart