News
People's Bank of China hires Ma Jun as chief economist
High profile China economist makes switch to central bank to participate in ‘aggressive' economic reforms to ‘shape the future' of China's economy
Central Bank of UAE opens first ever discount window
The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates will introduce a standing liquidity facility next week, offering banks overnight loans at 100 basis points above official repo rate
India reverses curbs on USD/INR trading
India's financial regulator has rolled back emergency measures it introduced last year as USD/INR rate stabilises
Fed finalises strict leverage ratio requirements for biggest banks
The Federal Reserve has finalised rule that will require systemically important banks to maintain leverage ratios of at least 5% from 2018
Norway hands SWF ethical investment responsibilities to central bank
Finance ministry disbands external ethical investment committee, putting responsibility for decisions with Norges Bank Investment Management
Ukraine central bank gets new audit committee
Refreshed oversight council gives blessing to new deputy governors and establishes new audit committee; daily FX benchmarks will now be effective immediately
Iceland prepares to phase out smallest banknote
Central Bank of Iceland hints at replacing the 500 krónur banknote with a coin, and scrapping the three lowest value coins altogether; introduced new 10,000 krónur note last year
US banks get stay on Volcker rule
The Federal Reserve has given banks until July 2017 to shed investments in collateralised loan obligations, potentially saving them millions of dollars
Bank of Canada appoints first COO
Filipe Dinis appointed as Bank of Canada’s first-ever chief operating officer; assumes oversight of the central bank’s strategic planning, administrative functions and operations
St Louis Fed research chief calls Bitcoin ‘stroke of genius'
St Louis Fed vice president and head of research has raised some central bankers' eyebrows by encouraging them to ‘welcome the competition' from the virtual currency
BoE adds ECA-backed loans as acceptable collateral
Loans guaranteed by UK export credit agency UKEF will be accepted under the Bank of England's Sterling Monetary Framework, with a haircut
Riksbank appoints two senior managers
Appointments to human resources and cash and payment systems sections follow establishment of three new departments on March 1
ECB says forward guidance a success
European Central bank annual report for 2013 finds forward guidance helped to stabilise money market conditions and anchor market expectations
Yves Mersch urges ABS regulation rethink
European Central Bank executive board member calls for global framework that distinguishes between securitisation instruments of different qualities
People: New deputies at RBI and Bank of Latvia; Russia appoints director
RBI fills seat vacated by Anand Sinha; Zoja Razmusa becomes deputy governor at Bank of Latvia; Olga Alexandrovna appointed as director at the Bank of Russia
Bank of England puts 19th century minutes online
Newly released archival material reveals daring exploits of staff during WW1; the battle to stem an epidemic of counterfeiting in the 18th and 19th century; and more
Sanusi wins $300,000 in damages from Nigerian government
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was suspended as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in February, is not to be arrested or harassed, court states
Turkish PM calls on central bank to cut rates
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls on central bank to ‘convene extraordinary meeting' to cut interest rates day after governor sends ‘hawkish' signals in London
Buy-side firms seek greater voice on BoE FX committee
Large buy-side firms keen to take a more active role on FXJSC after allegations dealers manipulated foreign exchange benchmarks
Jeremy Stein quits the Federal Reserve
Jeremy Stein, who joined the Federal Reserve board of governors in May 2012, will step down four years early
Kenya could quadruple central bank capital
Kenya looks set to replace the piecemeal legislation governing the central bank; new bill would boost its capital levels, reduce government influence and increase the governor’s term
Central Bank of Brazil raises Selic rate amid uptick in inflation
Central Bank of Brazil hikes rate by 25bp to 11% following upward revision of inflation for 2014; analysts predict an end to year-long tightening cycle
Draghi opens door to QE as ECB holds
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi says governing council discussed asset purchases in latest meeting; votes to hold rate despite more disinflation
Kenya's M-Pesa mobile money app launches in Romania
East European country is the first territory in Europe to get the mobile cash transfer technology, which also launched in India last year