News
ECB ‘ready and able to act’ as staff lower inflation forecasts
European Central Bank holds key interest rate at 0.25% as staff predict inflation drop in 2014; Draghi says governing council is willing to use ‘all available instruments’
New York Fed launches 'consumer expectations survey'
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will launch monthly survey on consumer expectations early next year; project anchors newly inaugurated microeconomic research centre
ECB celebrates decade of international co-operation
Conference looks back at quarter of a century of co-operation between central banks around the world - in which the ‘helped have become the helpers' thanks to knowledge exchange
East African states strike deal over monetary union
Political leaders from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda sign protocol outlining the path towards an East African single currency area
Sveriges Riksbank overhauls communication strategy
Sweden's central bank will focus on ‘dialogue' to better explain its operations; 'openness and clarity' remain guiding principles for the bank, which regularly tops transparency rankings
Serbia's Đelić calls for central bank governor to quit politics
Former minister behind central bank independence in 2003 says current governor should not also hold political office; calls on EBRD to shepherd 'orphan' banks to safety as foreign owners retreat
National Bank of Denmark winds up emergency lending measures
Six-month loans against a broad range of collateral introduced during the financial crisis will be terminated next year as normality returns to financial sector, central bank says
UK's financial regulator backs end to mortgage lending programme
BoE's Financial Policy Committee wary of the impact of higher interest rates on banks' and households' balance sheets; recommends mortgage lenders be required to heed stress test guidelines
African central banks need to brace for Fed tapering, says Ghana's Opata
African central banks should consider raising FX reserves to cover potential reserves losses and stress in domestic fixed income markets from Fed tapering, says Bank of Ghana official
Bank of Portugal fails to fill chief economist vacancy
Board of directors calls off search for a new head of economics and research due to dearth of quality applicants; initiates review for a 'strategic repositioning' of the department
Gono steps down as Zimbabwe government takes on Reserve Bank debts
Reserve Bank governor survived political upheaval to fulfil two five-year terms at the head of the central bank; final act was to see the bank relieved of its crippling debts by the government
Design of Norwegian banknotes charts new waters
Norges Bank reveals upcoming banknote series will share a maritime theme, reflecting the country's 83,000km coastline; notes will not feature human portraiture
Central Bank of Ireland head supervisor quits
Fiona Muldoon resigns as director of credit institutions and insurance supervision, forcing the central bank to replace three senior staff members in quick succession
CLS raises £160 million capital from shareholders
Hefty capital raise completed last week to enable CLS to meet demanding new capital requirements and support future growth
Taiwan allows Chinese issuers in offshore RMB bond market
So-called Bao Dao bonds are expected to find a ready market eager for yield; offshore RMB bond market in Taiwan has seen just six issuances so far this year
Central Bank of Ireland staff face longer working hours
The central bank is in negotiations with a workers’ union over government proposals that would impose 37-hour working weeks on the majority of staff; tribunal makes final recommendations
Industry in discussions to change FX benchmark calculation, says ECB official
Senior market participants have suggested widening the time window in which benchmark exchange rates are set in forex, following allegations of manipulation
BoJ will need ‘aggressive' re-capitalisation at end of QQE, top economist warns
Nomura chief economist warns the practice of handing over the profits from QE to the Japanese government means the central bank could find itself under-capitalised when the programme ends
BoE's Carney: liquidity support for CCPs is a 'last-resort option'
Bank of England governor insists clearing houses must have enough liquidity to cope with the default of two big member firms
Somalia turns to former governor to take the reins again
Bashir Issa Ali will fill the governor vacancy at the Central Bank of Somalia, created when Yussur Abrar quit the bank and the country amid corruption controversies
New Zealand payment systems under review
Reserve Bank of New Zealand announces review of its two large-value settlement systems; expects to sanction ‘significant upgrades’ to both within the next four years
Sarb official warns about use of Aussie investments as a proxy for China
Australian and Chinese markets are 'vastly different', so investing in Australia as a proxy for China could be risky, South African Reserve Bank risk manager warns delegates at Nalm Africa 2013
Bank of England terminates mortgage support
Funding for Lending Scheme will cease subsidising mortgages in 2014; Mark Carney outlines tools the central bank could use to rein in the ‘growing momentum’ in UK housing market
Lithuania on track to join euro at second time of asking
The Bank of Lithuania has started publishing regular forecasts that keep track of the country’s progress towards meeting the convergence criteria necessary for accession to the eurozone