News
ECB unveils new Euro Retail Payments Board
New board will be the driving force behind retail payments integration in Europe; will replace the Sepa council and take a more proactive approach than its predecessor
Central Bank of Iceland to offload Kaupthing bonds acquired in the crisis
The bank will sell $860 million worth of covered bonds issued by Kaupthing Bank before the financial crisis over the next five years
National Bank of Austria overhauls ‘outdated’ website
Austrian central bank spent €500,000 renovating its 10-year-old website, with a focus on condensing the content and making it easier to navigate
Singapore's Tharman to stay on as head of IMF advisory body
International Monetary and Financial Committee calls on Singaporean finance minister, and former MAS chief, to remain in the chair for one more year
Central Bank of Venezuela to buy country's entire gold production
Central bank in joint bid with state oil company to ‘regularise' production, sales and purchases of the precious metal, which last year accounted for 70% of the bank's international reserves
Basel Committee says world's biggest banks can't report risk adequately
Globally systemic banks have provided the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision with an update on their progress towards risk reporting goals - revealing deficiencies in data aggregation
Carney defends forward guidance as UK unemployment falls closer to BoE threshold
Bank of England governor says reaching 7% unemployment threshold does not presuppose monetary tightening, but rather incorporates a deliberate buffer before full employment is reached
Bank of England promises diversity on new polymer banknotes
Public consultation revealed 87% of Brits in favour of switching to polymer banknotes; Bank of England also unveils a new system for selecting historical characters to feature on its notes
Bank of Tanzania launches financial inclusion framework
East African country is aiming for 50% formal financial inclusion by 2016, up from 22% today; strategy will tackle supply side, demand side and structural obstacles
Sudan names new central bank governor
Abdul-Rahman Hassan was appointed by president Omar al-Bashir last week; he previously served as director of a local bank, according to state news agency
IMF could help overcome ‘myopia' on international monetary policy co-operation
IMF deputy head of research Jonathan Ostry argues in new paper with Atish Ghosh that international macro policy co-ordination could bring global welfare benefits, with IMF playing a central role
Riksbank cuts rates on falling inflation, leaning less against the wind
Swedish central bank cuts interest rates by 25bp to 0.75% to counter falling inflation; household debt levels still a risk, says Ingves, but calls on ‘others' to do more to keep them in check
Jörg Asmussen quits the ECB to return to politics
Executive board member leaves the bank after two years to become deputy labour secretary in new German government; Buba's Sabine Lautenschlaeger an early favourite to replace him
Fed appoints five new regional reserve bank chairs for 2014
Fed board of governors has released the names of regional reserve bank chairs and deputy chairs for 2014; JC Penney CEO and Yale economics professor among new appointees, seven chairs reappointed
Danièle Nouy confirmed as chair of SSM supervisory board
Top French supervisor formally appointed after ECB nomination and European Parliament approval; first job will be to agree on her deputy, to be chosen from ECB executive board
ECB launches online competition to familiarise citizens with new €10 banknote
Players have to uncover four security features and also guess the number of euro banknotes in circulation in the euro area on December 31, 2013; new note unveiled on January 13
Peruvian Congress approves central bank board members after two-year delay
Depleted board expected to be back at full strength next week after three appointees finally get green light from the legislature; originally appointed in July, but sacked following street protests
EBA warns of Bitcoin risks
European Banking Authority tells Bitcoin users to invest only what they can ‘afford to lose’ as not much can be done about exchange failures or digital theft
Serbia completes ECB's 'most ambitious programme to date'
Three-year programme has prepared the National Bank of Serbia to take a lead role in negotiating the country's entry into the EU and the central bank's entry into the ESCB
Australia PM adds to RBA intervention momentum
Tony Abbott says central bank has sufficient reserves to 'intervene prudently and appropriately' in forex markets; Glenn Stevens 'suspects' the market will spare the RBA the need to act
Slovenian banks need €4.8 billion cash injection, government says
Public bailout expected to raise public debt burden by 20 percentage points; country's three largest banks in particular dire straits, according to recently wrapped-up external asset quality review
Chinese liberalisation could be ‘force for global stability', says BoE economist
Article in Bank of England quarterly bulletin says a more open capital account in China could be a force for growth and financial stability at home and abroad
EU bail-in to start two years early after Parliament and Council reach agreement
Bail-in rules, expected only from January 2018, will now enter force in January 2016; public bail-outs remain on the table as a last resort
Draghi says sovereign debt risk weights are a question for Basel Committee
Mario Draghi says it is up to the Basel Committee to assign different risk weights on sovereign debt ‘at the proper time’ and seeks to appease politicians' concerns over SME credit