News
S&P downgrades Bahrain
Standard and Poor’s downgrades Bahrain’s credit rating two notches to BBB amid continued political unrest
UK FSA’s Turner puts forth case for more discretion
Chairman of the Financial Services Authority Adair Turner argues discretion vital if regulators are to temper the excesses of credit cycles
Governor of Lesotho’s central bank dies
Governor of the Central Bank of Lesotho Moeketsi Pius Senaoana passes away
QE crystallised doubts surrounding dollar: US subcommittee speaker
US lawmakers and members of subcommittee on domestic monetary policy say Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing programme has reduced faith in dollar
UK inflation expectations rise
Bank of England survey on public attitudes to inflation show rise in inflation expectations
ECB opines on how euro crisis facility should work
European Central Bank proposes IMF involvement in order to ensure facility does not promote moral hazard
Moody’s Portugal downgrade sparks further speculation of bailout
Moody’s cuts Portugal’s credit rating by two notches to A3 on weaker growth prospects; analyst says bailout expected in coming months
Ireland unveils stress test scenarios
Central Bank of Ireland outlines macroeconomic scenarios for stress test exercise on four banks; results set to be published at end of month
S&P unconvinced by resolution regimes
Rating agency says sovereigns will continue to bail out banks
Zimbabwe told to look to commercial banks for US coin supplies
Contrary to local media reports, Federal Reserve has not made formal arrangement with Harare
RBI group recommends switch to one-policy rate
Reserve Bank of India group on operating procedure of monetary policy says moving to one rate would be in line with global best practice
Lawmakers grill BoE’s court over stability mandate
UK Treasury Committee query whether Bank of England’s Court of Directors is up to the task of monitoring the activities of the Financial Policy Committee
US, Japanese regulators investigating UBS over Libor submissions
Swiss bank says subpoenas have been received from three US regulators
BoE governing body member 'uncomfortable' with King fiscal comments
Bank of England’s Court of Directors member and head of Trades Union Congress Brendan Barber says he is uncomfortable about comments made by governor Mervyn King on fiscal policy
Ex-Brazil governor to head Olympic authority
Former Central Bank of Brazil chief Henrique Meirelles tasked with managing preparations for 2016 games, to be held in Rio
Japan injects ¥7 trillion; expands asset purchase programme by ¥5 trillion
Bank of Japan makes largest-ever same-day funds operation in bid to subdue market panic following Tohoku earthquake
EU agrees to more generous terms for Greece
Heads of state agree to lower rate of interest and extend maturity on Greek loan; no word on Ireland
Bank’s King calls for grand bargain to tackle global imbalances
Bank of England governor Mervyn King says G-20 countries must reach agreement on path to rebalance global economy; says G-20 could metamorphose into IMF governing body
ECB’s Bini Smaghi proposes single eurozone bond issuing agency
European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi backs proposals for single eurozone government bond issuer; says agency could pave the way for a single European bond
BIS economists identify indicators of systemic risk
Bank for International Settlements research points to size as most reliable indicator of systemic importance, ahead of interbank lending and borrowing
BoJ leaps to action to soothe quake fears
Bank of Japan moves to assure investors that financial infrastructures are still working; central bank will work to maintain smooth liquidity, settlement conditions
Liikanen gets nod for second term at Bank of Finland
Finnish President Tarja Halonen reappoints Bank of Finland governor Erkki Liikanen for second term; Liikanen seen as still in race for European Central Bank presidency
ECB should beef up research department, look outside the EU, external review says
Independent review of the European Central Bank’s directorate general of research says central bank should expand department to meet heightened post-crisis demand
AIG makes $15.7 billion offer for Maiden Lane II
New York Fed receives formal offer for bailout vehicle containing AIG’s residential mortgage-backed securities portfolio; insurer in bid to reduce debt to Washington