News
Bank of England has no evidence it 'condoned' FX market manipulation
UK central bank launched an investigation into allegations its own staff condoned foreign exchange market manipulation, months before the case came to light last week
Governors grapple with regulatory implications of African mobile money growth
African central bank heads agree to develop comparative surveys of mobile money regulation, as mobile banking takes off
German debt office poised to collateralise swaps
Pending 2014 budget would allow Finanzagentur to post up to €8 billion in collateral
IMF voices concern over ‘weakening of central bank independence' in Bolivia
Any changes stemming from new constitution should ‘conserve supremacy of central bank law', says IMF; analyst says independence has not led to price stability
Former BoE staffer sets out vision for Bank's reorganisation
Richard Barwell, now a senior economist at RBS, calls for a reshuffle at the Bank of England which would see the MPC gain a majority of external members, and a redefined chief economist position
ECB ‘strongly supports’ new payments directive
The European Central Bank gives its backing to a new payments directive that aims to create a more integrated European market for electronic payments
Riksbank unveils organisational shake-up
Three new units streamlining asset management and payment operations will come into being on March 1; also announces transfer of Skr3.3 billion to Treasury
ECB names five SSM deputies
The European Central Bank appoints five deputy directors-general to its single supervisory mechanism with another two to follow; the Bank of Spain contributes a second senior supervisor
Hungary chided by ECB over threat to suspend governor
Hungarian law states that if the governor or deputy governors fail to declare personal wealth, they could be relieved of their posts; ECB points out this is insufficient grounds under European statute
European Court of Justice to rule on OMTs after German court ‘fudge'
German constitutional court finds ‘reasons to assume OMTs exceed the ECB's mandate', but asks Europe's top court in Luxembourg to take the final decision
Oil revenue fraud in Nigeria has forced ‘tight monetary conditions' says Sanusi memo
Document purportedly submitted to Senate committee by central bank governor claims oil money embezzlement has made management of exchange rates and price stability ‘extremely difficult'
ECB unveils ‘co-operation framework’ for SSM
European Central Bank outlines how it will co-operate with national authorities in the forthcoming single supervisor mechanism; proposals open to public consultation
Fed's Plosser wants to end asset purchases by summer
Philadelphia Fed president and FOMC member who voted for the Fed's ‘measured' $10bn taper in January reiterates earlier calls to scale back QE at ‘faster pace'
Political impasse threatens SRM progress
European parliamentarians express frustration with the slow negotiations over the single resolution mechanism; Martin Schulz urges finance ministers to pick up the pace
ECB holds rates despite continued disinflation
European Central Bank holds refinance rate at 0.25% and shuns additional policy instruments despite inflation falling to 0.7%; attention turns to updated and expanded staff forecasts in March
Bank of Ghana hikes rates and tightens forex controls in bid to defend currency
Central bank raises interest rates by 200bp to 18% at emergency meeting; follows yesterday's decree that all domestic transactions must be denominated in local cedi
US Congress committee highlights Volcker rule anomalies
Fed's Tarullo among regulators grilled by US Congress over apparently arbitrary exemptions to the Volcker rule
Lagarde lends weight to global clamour for policy co-ordination
IMF managing director joins Rajan and others in renewed calls for monetary policy to take into account international spillovers, as Fed taper rocks emerging markets
People: Former PM joins Czech central bank; Bank of Canada appoints ‘special adviser'
Czech National Bank replaces outgoing board member with man who was Prime Minister until last week; Canada appoints special adviser with financial system expertise
Fed proposals for updated payments system meets with mixed response
Some industry practitioners tell Fed it should move faster on payments reform, though others argue if it isn't broken, don't fix it
Bank of England says BBA could co-ordinate response to banking cyber attacks
Sweeping exercise aimed at preparing UK banks against attacks against financial infrastructure by ‘hostile nation state' also sees some firms struggle with new dual regulatory structure
Reserve Bank of Fiji targets more effective communication
The central bank will build a new communications framework and resurrect plans for a financial stability report as part of its strategic outlook for 2014-18
ECB reshuffles executive board
Benoît Coeuré takes over international and European relations; Yves Mersch inherits payments and market infrastructure; Vítor Constâncio gets macro-prudential policy
Central Bank of Nicaragua appoints Ovidio Reyes president
General manager was made acting president when Alberto Guevara was stripped of his responsibilities in mid-January, but was only officially appointed on Thursday