European Central Bank (ECB)
Weidmann says latest ECB package went ‘too far’
Bundesbank president says the council was agreed on the need to act in the wake of weaker economic projections, but the eventual measures, including an expansion of QE, were too much
Negative rates one of many pressures on bank business models, Lautenschläger says
ECB supervisory board vice-chair says business models must cope with a range of challenges, of which low rates are just one; Nouy and Lautenschläger field questions following annual report
Villeroy de Galhau calls for eurozone finance minister
Banque de France governor calls for single eurozone finance minister to co-ordinate fiscal and structural policy; warns of dangers of “overburdening monetary policy”
ECB’s Mersch provides update on infrastructure work
Yves Mersch says business requirements being gathered from market participants ahead of instant payments; highlights plans for review of harmonisation of collateralisation procedures
Four largest eurozone economies show different reactions to monetary policy, paper finds
The economies of Germany, France, Italy and Spain show marked differences in responding to policy rate rises, researchers argue
Low profitability and NPLs remain top of the eurozone supervisory agenda
European Central Bank presents annual report for supervision, with major concerns including profitability and non-performing loans; supervisors are working closely with the single resolution board
Vítor Constâncio calls for macro-prudential tools to reach beyond banks
Authorities should be granted wider powers over alternative investment funds and shadow banking sector, including margins and haircuts on derivatives and securities financing, Constâncio says
Eurozone not at zero lower bound, Praet says
ECB chief economist Peter Praet has said the eurozone is not at its zero lower bound; remarks may not contradict earlier guidance by ECB president Draghi
Macro-prudential policy must give guidance on how to deleverage, paper says
Different deleveraging methods have varying effects on the economy, ECB working paper finds; policy-makers must give banks concrete guidance on how they implement certain measures
TLTRO II may reflect renewed ECB focus on transmission, analysts say
The European Central Bank’s decision to operate a second targeted long-term refinancing operation would help provide banks with ‘stability’, according to Draghi
ECB launches ‘comprehensive package’ as inflation outlook worsens
Mario Draghi announces cuts in interest rates and an expansion to the ECB’s asset-purchase programme, as well as a second TLTRO package, larger than the original
European supervisors must improve consistency on capital requirements, Angeloni says
European regulators must take more consistent approach to capital requirements, Ignazio Angeloni says; authorities have to improve macro-prudential policy co-ordination
Institutions agree to mission to check on Greek reforms
Representatives of European and international institutions have agreed to send a team to Athens to check on reform progress; visit is necessary to allow bail-out to continue
Networks did not spread 2008 shocks in eurozone money market, paper argues
Banking networks in the eurozone did not play a major role in spreading shocks in the financial crisis, ECB working paper argues; eurozone banks are ‘not network dependent’
Lautenschläger says some leveraged finance practices need watching
ECB’s head of supervision notes increase in ‘covenant-lite’ deals
Wholesale funding shocks hit credit supply, paper finds
Shocks to securities and interbank lending markets have significant effects on banks’ supply of credit, an ECB paper finds; researchers use monthly loan data for eurozone banks
Greek governor calls for ‘bold and innovative’ action on non-performing loans
Greek economy should start a modest recovery in the second half of 2016, but the government must hit bailout programme targets and take bold action on non-performing loans, governor says
Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has increased financial fragmentation, paper argues
Eurozone corporate bonds have different risk premia according to which country a company is headquartered in, paper argues; fragmentation has ‘dampened effectiveness’ of ECB policy
Sarb’s Lesetja Kganyago on divergent monetary policies and new supervision
The governor of the South African Reserve Bank talks to Christopher Jeffery about navigating divergent monetary policies, South Africa’s new supervisory regime and nurturing new talent
EBA unveils 2016 stress test methodology
European Banking Authority presents the methodology for 2016 stress tests; no single capital adequacy level, but results will inform regulators’ assessments under SREP
Small and medium eurozone banks must assess business models, Lautenschläger says
Smaller financial institutions need to examine their business models in detail, eurozone regulator says; SSM wants harmonised treatment of institutional protection schemes
Eurozone banks are taking more risks, Nouy says
Falling profitability of banks in the eurozone is pushing institutions into ‘into riskier territory’ and driving risk premia to historic lows, Nouy says; warns against ‘inappropriate cost-cutting’
ECB’s liquidity provision had ‘highly uneven effects’ on interbank markets, paper argues
ECB emergency liquidity provision had very different effects on stressed and non-stressed interbank lending markets; paper reconstructs interbank lending from Target2 database
ECB costs and profits on the rise, annual accounts show
Net profit for the ECB rose in 2015 year on year due to higher gains from securities sales and more fees charged for supervisory activities; operating costs also rise due to staff increases