News
Gulf monetary-union plans in tatters as UAE quits
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second largest economy in the Gulf, on Wednesday withdrew from plans for a regional monetary union, causing further consternation for the beleaguered project.
Greenspan: we're still on the edge
Alan Greenspan, a former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has warned that American banks need to raise a lot more capital before the financial crisis can end.
Ex-Brazil governor dismisses plan to ditch dollar
Gustavo Franco, a former governor of the Central Bank of Brazil, has said that proposals for China and Brazil to trade in renminbi and reals rather than dollars are "pure idle talk".
Fed wants to stay silent on borrower details
The Federal Reserve will continue to resist calls by lawmakers to name and shame the recipients of central bank aid, Federal Open Market Committee minutes suggest.
US set for new regulator?
The United States administration is considering setting up a regulator to oversee certain financial products, it emerged on Wednesday.
Firms must adapt to low growth: Bahrain's Al Maraj
Rasheed Al Maraj, the governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, has said businesses and government will need to adjust to the reality of slower economic growth.
Fed aids Treasury in toxic-asset removal
To support the Treasury's plan to rid banks of toxic assets, the Federal Reserve on Tuesday said that it will take some mortgage-backed securities on to its books from July.
Basel Committee issues stress-test guidelines
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has produced a raft of measures for the sound governance, design and implementation of stress tests.
Sub-Saharan Africa faces severe slump, IMF warns
The International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday that economies in sub-Saharan Africa were facing a "severe downturn" and called for a strong public-policy response both domestically and internationally.
Brazil and China planning link-up to ditch dollar
A Central Bank of Brazil official has said that trade between the country and China will be conducted in reals and renminbi rather than dollars.
HKMA's Yam confirms retirement
Joseph Yam, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), is to step down in October, it emerged on Tuesday.
Malaysian state sets up $5 billion SWF
Malaysia's oil-rich Terengganu state will establish a M$11 billion ($3 billion) ringgit sovereign wealth fund with a M$5 billion bond issuance later this week.
Minneapolis Fed puts downturn in perspective
The Minneapolis Federal Reserve has produced a series of charts comparing the current recession with other downturns in the United States in the post-war period.
BIS data show derivatives market contracting
The rapid growth of the derivatives market reversed in the wake of the collapse of now-defunct investment bank Lehman Brothers - an event which revealed the fragility of the industry - data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) out Tuesday…
Fed outsources in-house cheque images system
The Federal Reserve has decided to migrate its archive of cheque images to a private provider in an effort to reduce costs.
Governance role to shift in crisis aftermath
Central bank governance is set to change in the aftermath of the financial crisis as institutions' roles adapt, a report out Monday has said.
Bank concerned on clarity of stability role
The Bank of England on Monday called for more clarity on and greater powers to fulfil its financial stability mandate.
BoJ's Hayami passes away
Masaru Hayami, the governor of the Bank of Japan who presided over the institution's introduction of quantitative easing, has died. He was 84.
Iceland MPC member: too many men led to bad banks
A member of the Central Bank of Iceland's recently-founded Monetary Policy Committee has said that an overabundance of "male bankers high on testosterone" taking "too much risk" was one of the reasons why financial professionals behaved so badly in the…
Boediono named as running mate, set to resign
Reports emerged on Friday that Boediono, the governor of Bank Indonesia, was tendering his resignation after he was named as the president's choice for running mate.
Temasek sells Bank of America shares
Temasek, one of Singapore's sovereign wealth funds, has sold its stake in Bank of America in a bid to reduce its considerable exposure to western banking stocks.
BoE outlines objectives for liquidity rules
Nigel Jenkinson, an adviser to the governor of the Bank of England and a member of the Financial Stability Board, on Friday detailed five objectives for a new framework on liquidity risk.
Egypt narrows rate corridor with cuts
The Central Bank of Egypt narrowed its rate corridor and loosened monetary policy in a bid to foster credit growth.
UAE looks to combat money laundering
A committee led by the head of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced measures aimed at cracking down on money laundering and terrorist financing.