News
Eurozone faces big test as EFSF downgrade looms
European Financial Stability Facility's credit rating could be downgraded after Standard and Poor's places the sovereign ratings of Germany and France on negative watch
NALM Africa 2011: Beware the risk 'numbers' say African central bankers
African central bank risk chiefs say reserves managers need to beware the numbers produced by complicated risk management software systems and rely more on their own qualitative judgement
European Commission draws up new list of countries for Solvency II equivalence
Decision on Bermuda, Japan and Switzerland equivalence to be taken once Level 2 measures agreed
Change to Japan clearing mandate ends LCH-JSCC talks
A decision to limit the scope of Japan's clearing mandate has torpedoed months of partnership talks between LCH.Clearnet and the Japan Securities Clearing Corporation
Fed promotes directors on district boards
Federal Reserve announces string of changes to chair and deputy chair of regional Fed board of directors for 2012
MAS reshuffles senior management
Departure of Leo Mun Wai as head of Monetary Authority of Singapore's capital markets group triggers series of changes to management at central bank
Cyprus governor warns country has 'lost credibility'
Athanasios Orphanides tells parliamentary committee that budget measures must be pushed through quickly to restore confidence in Cyprus; warns the country has lost credibility
Philippines banking sector liberalisation continues
Central Bank of the Philippines awards seven banks the right to open 162 branches in previously 'restricted' zones; next phase in the liberalisation of the domestic banking sector
Ireland launches new supervisory framework
Central Bank of Ireland says Prism model will better equip it to identify and deal with threats to banking sector in a timely manner; concerns remain over flexibility of framework
Australia announces new deputy governor
Philip Lowe promoted from position as assistant governor; Heather Ridout revealed as new external board member
FSB consultative group for the Americas gathers in Mexico
Central bank governors Agustín Carstens and José De Gregorio co-chair first regional group meeting to exchange views on key financial stability issues
NALM Africa 2011: African central banks rethink reserves allocations
The drop-off in US Treasury yields and concern about a eurozone sovereign collapse has prompted a number of African central banks to review their reserves allocations
Central Bank of Tunisia makes plea to government
Newly formed interim government must act to restore investor confidence, says board of directors; calls for independence of the central bank to be protected
Riksbank appoints two new deputy governors
Kerstin af Jochnick and Per Jansson will succeed Svante Öberg and Lars Nyberg on the Swedish central bank’s executive board at the beginning of next year
US Senate passes sanctions on Central Bank of Iran
US Senate passes sanctions aimed at Iran's crucial oil industry; measure will prevent financial institutions from doing business with US and Iran, forcing them to choose
Bank of England selects new chief for Special Resolution Unit
Andrew Gracie returns to Bank of England to lead special resolution unit; takes over later this month
CLS pushing 'transformation' agenda, says Bozian
Central settlement utility is feeding greater resources into expanding its universe of currencies, according to chief executive Alan Bozian
BoE unveils gloomy Financial Stability Report
Bank of England Financial Stability Report demands banks boost capital levels; King says he initiated talks of co-ordinated swap line action with central banks around the world
Draghi pushes for greater fiscal integration in eurozone
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi says new fiscal pact is needed between eurozone countries to deepen economic integration
Kenyan parliament passes new payments regulation law
Central Bank of Kenya governor offers overview of 2011 for economy; reports on progress of National Payments System Bill
Fed picks new head for banking supervision division
Michael Gibson takes over from Patrick Parkinson on January 1; Parkinson leaves Fed after 30 years of service
UK banks lament costs of ring-fencing operations
House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report shows UK’s biggest banks believe recommendations to ring-fence retail operations underestimate costs of reform but agree measures are a “done deal”
Major central banks take co-ordinated action
Central banks reduce US overnight index swap rate from 100 basis points to 50 basis points above market rate to flood financial system with dollar liquidity
Thailand and China ease monetary policy
Thailand cuts benchmark rate and China lowers reserve ratio as eurozone crisis impact is felt in Asia; Thailand also keen to combat effects of devastating floods