News
US rates cut for seventh time
UNITED STATES - The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates for the seventh time this year in a continued attempt to revive the US economy.
IMF agrees extra cash for Argentina
ARGENTINA - After 12 tense days of talks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to increase its funding to crisis-hit Argentina by $8bn.
IMF News Brief
REPORT - A news release from the International Monetary Fund, 21 August, detailing the recommend addition of US$8 billion to Argentina's stand-by credit.
HKMA says bankruptcy law changes 'difficult'
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's bankruptcy laws will unlikely be amended despite a sharp rise in the number of people going broke and companies going under, the city's quasi-central bank said 21 August.
Croatian cen bank offers euros at 7.50 kuna
CROATIA - The Croatian central bank said on 21 August it would sell an unspecified amount of euros at 7.50 kuna ($0.907) - its second intervention this month to aid the kuna and a first sale of currency at a fixed exchange rate.
Swiss nat bank to change policy if needed
SWITZERLAND - Swiss National Bank (SNB) Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth told a business journal that the central bank will review policy and make changes if needed in late September.
German wise man says ECB need not follow Fed cut
GERMANY - Horst Siebert, a senior adviser to the German government, said on 21 August the European Central Bank did not need to follow the widely expected U.S. interest rate cut by trimming euro zone rates.
Indian bankers jittery over proposed laws
INDIA - Rattled by scams, bankers are now jittery that new laws could push them further towards the edge. The financial regulators are now pitching for a change in the statutes that would put the responsibility on banks, financial institutions and other…
Regulator denies responsible for bank intervention
NICARAGUA - Nicaragua's banking regulator Noel Sacasa has denied responsibility for the multimillion dollar costs of intervening and liquidating six banks during his term a report says.
Ukraine begins certification of bank liquidators
UKRAINE - In line with the National Bank of Ukraine resolution, only persons who pass a special examination will be allowed to participate in the liquidation or temporary management of banks, a report says.
RBI links supervision with risk profile of banks
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to roll out a bank-specific risk-based supervision (RBS) system from the last quarter of the financial year 2002-2003.
Head of Latvian c bank prepared to found new party
LATVIA - Bank of Latvia President Einars Repse is ready to undertake formation of a new right-wing party.
Sri Lanka c bank relaxes For Ex curbs
SRI LANKA - Sri Lanka's Central Bank announced 20 August the relaxation of several restrictions on foreign exchange transactions through commercial banks imposed in January, the official Daily News reported on 21 August.
Argentina pays workers in bonds
ARGENTINA - As Argentina's talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) drag on - with still no word on whether the country will get a much-needed aid package - the situation at home is getting worse.
Sharp rise in Indian forex reserves by US $326 bn
INDIA - The country's forex reserves have registered a sharp rise of $326 million to touch $44.135 billion for the week ended August 10, as against $43.809 billion in the previous week.
KDB to operate central bank's loan to SMEs
SOUTH KOREA - The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) will soon be subject to the central bank's ceiling on loans to small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs).
Yugoslav c bank gov says for ex reserves growing
YUGOSLOVIA - Yugoslav National Bank (NBJ) Governor Mladjan Dinkic has said a new banknote was expected by the end of September this year - of 1,000 dinars.
Japanese banks seek to avoid disclosure
JAPAN - Japan's banks are seeking to avoid revealing potential losses on their derivative portfolios by lobbying regulatory authorities to postpone legislation that forces them to disclose the market value of their positions.
Thai MPC to evaluate c bank market actions
THAILAND - Thai central bank Deputy Governor Pakorn Malakul Na Ayudhya said 21 August that when the Monetary Policy Committee meets Aug. 29, it will look into risk management and standards for Bank of Thailand's activity in the foreign exchange, bond and…
Economist Webb may be new Peru c bank chief
PERU - President Alejandro Toledo will name economist Richard Webb as the new president of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, a high-level source is reported to have told Dow Jones Newswires.
Shiokawa - Government, BOJ In Agreement On Policy
JAPAN - Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said 21 August the government and the Bank of Japan were in agreement on policy and the central bank was taking into account the administration's views on policy.
Japan gov't panel starts debate on BOJ policy
JAPAN - The Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy has started talks on the direction of monetary policy, set by the Bank of Japan, as a way of stemming deflation, and will likely issue a set of proposals in September calling for further credit easing.
Japanese financial regulator reprimands ING Baring
JAPAN - ING Barings Japan, the investment bank, has been reprimanded by the Financial Services Agency (FSA), the country's chief banking regulator, for issuing inaccurate and misleading research, and has also been ordered to tighten internal compliance…
French/German growth difference not structural
GERMANY - France's economic growth has outpaced that of Germany for several years recently but the stronger growth was due to special, not structural factors and the gap should narrow in the future, the Bundesbank said on 16 August.