News
CPMI flags up need for better cross-border payment options
Current infrastructure offers slow and costly transactions that are hard to track, says Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures
People: Nominations to BoJ; Moghalu mulls presidential bid
Kuroda nominated for fresh term alongside two deputies; former CBN deputy considers bid for Nigerian presidency; Riksbank deputy reappointed
Ireland withdraws Lane’s nomination for ECB vice president
Spain’s de Guindos likely to take up role, but Irish may suggest Lane for the chief economist post
Sarb triumphs over public protector in latest ruling
Mkhwebane ordered to pay opponents’ legal costs as judge rules investigation was “unacceptable”; Absa Bank vindicated in latest ruling
ECB orders Latvia to shutter bank over laundering allegations
US Treasury alleges the bank laundered billions of dollars and had links to North Korea
Latvian police detain central bank governor on corruption charges
Rimšēvičs says charges are totally unfounded
Three men arrested for fraud at Kenya’s central bank
Men charged with 11 counts of fraud attempted to present $6.25 million in counterfeit Treasury bills
Bank of Russia upgrades interbank loan system
The central bank publishes a clutch of documents on financial technology; says hackers stole $6 million via Swift in a “common scheme”
Central banks mull securities lending as response to low yields
Institutions are proving more willing to experiment as conservatism threatens to erode their reserves
Canada effecting a cautious normalisation – deputy governor
Uncertainties related to trade, high debt levels and slower growth may delay new rate hikes
FCA fails to publish contentious report on RBS
Regulator opts to supply parliamentary committee with a confidential version of the report, but lawmakers may publish it anyway
Singapore to step up consumer protection on e-payments
Banks must offer users better protection measures, but users could also face fines for recklessness or carelessness
FCA to examine feasibility of global regulatory sandbox
UK regulator recommends establishing a “college” of regulators to strengthen co-operation across borders; interested parties have until March to comment
People: Tunisian governor resigns; EFSF appoints chairman
Governor Ayari quits after Tunisian prime minister initiated the process to replace him; EFSF picks new chairman; European Commission proposes new chief for Systemic Risk Board
Sama enables blockchain for cross-border payments
Pilot with Ripple will allow domestic banks to settle payments across the xCurrent network; payments infrastructure based on the Interledger Protocol
Sarb unveils new fintech push
South Africa’s central bank to investigate DLT usage for clearing and settlement; fintech roadmap will examine crypto regulation
China feels tighter financial conditions ahead of new year
Record-breaking bank loans contrast with slower broad credit growth, amid shift away from shadow banking
People: Caruana nominated for Spanish commercial bank’s board
Qatar appoints deputy governor and Ukraine announces new onsite inspection head
Riksbank leaves rates unchanged as inflation remains contained
Deputy governor Henry Ohlsson dissented and advocated raising rates by 25 basis points
RBI launches tougher rules on non-performing loans
Overhaul of framework for dealing with stressed assets is latest step in central bank’s push to clean up financial sector
Angolan banks given new forex responsibilities amid shortage
Requests for foreign currency now must be submitted to commercial entities instead of central bank, with the exception of large imports of food and medicines
Eurozone needs structural reforms to realign real exchange rates – Italian paper
Real exchange rate misalignments persist for longer in eurozone, researchers say
Powell faces balancing act as normalisation proceeds
New Fed chair likely to continue policy normalisation even as market volatility tests his resolve
World Gold Council launches gold accounting framework
Guidance aims to help central banks harmonise the treatment of gold in their accounts in a way that meshes with broader reserves accounting