Asia-Pacific
BIS’s Hong Kong innovation hub launches trade finance competition
Solutions need to help current trade finance platforms communicate with one another, and help SMEs and emerging markets take advantage of existing opportunities
Headline inflation to stray into negative territory, Bank of Thailand reports
Sharp decline in oil prices and government measures push forecast for headline inflation to -1.7%
Philippines central bank links up with debt trading platform
Move comes as central bank buys government bonds and prepares to issue own debt
Singapore and China to deepen collaboration on green finance
MAS chief proposes working together in areas including loan syndication and verification
Bank of Thailand to build trial CBDC payment network
Project will see cement company using blockchain network to process suppliers’ payments
Trends in reserve management: 2020 survey results
Covid-19 expected to dent the risk appetite of central bank portfolio managers; socially responsible investing gains ground
Central bank museums grapple with lockdown
Money museums moved online to keep communicating during Covid-19 lockdown; some now plan to reopen for a limited number of visitors
Central banking enters a new era
Central banks face a delicate balancing act to preserve their reputations as they evolve into ‘buyers of last resort’ and some of their actions appear functionally equivalent to ‘monetary financing’
The complex art of reserve management
The coronavirus lockdown represents another inflection point for central banks seeking to optimise the management of their $12 trillion in FX reserves
FOMC considers more aggressive forward guidance
Officials discussed state-contingent forward guidance and yield curve control, April minutes show
MAS preps financial institutions for return to normal
Firms will be able to conduct face-to-face meetings as long as safety protocols are followed
MAS will regulate token derivatives
Central bank updates securities legislation to regulate tokens offered by approved exchanges
PBoC’s post-pandemic policy is still up in the air
The Chinese central bank has resisted radical easing, but with the NPC meeting this week, more loosening could be on the way, despite debt-level concerns, writes Hui Feng
The IFF China Report 2020
Insight and perspectives from the world's leaders, premier policy-makers and financiers
The IFF China Report 2020: Regional and multilateral co-operation
The Belt and Road Initiative has expanded to corners of the globe never thought possible; investment in Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean has strengthened free trade and fostered positive development. But there is still work to be done to ensure a…
Can growth in developing Asia be made more sustainable?
The structure of the global economy will be reshaped by Covid-19, and what happens in Asia will be crucial, writes Philip Turner
Libra’s Disparte on big tech’s move into digital currency
Libra Association vice-chair Dante Disparte speaks about the decision to abandon a multi-currency reserve, stress-testing a global payment network and how the Facebook-backed body still has 3 billion customers in its sights
BRI debt is sustainable, participant countries signal
Countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative say they are not concerned about debt sustainability at home but neighbouring country obligations could be a risk
The IFF China Report 2020: Green finance and fintech
Green finance has been steadily growing over the past few years. As China has come under greater scrutiny about the scope of its projects, the Belt and Road Initiative has evolved to foster sustainability both in terms of debt servicing and…
The IFF China Report 2020: The Belt and Road Initiative
Over the past six years, China has invested more than $500 billion in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – of which there are now in excess of 150 participating counties and organisations. Leading Chinese and international policy-makers explain how BRI…
PBoC confirms digital currency pilot
Central bank will test central bank digital currency in a number of provinces
MAS lends support to SMEs through new programme
Ravi Menon says banks are expected to make loans to small businesses at a lower cost
Central Bank of the Philippines cuts rates at emergency meeting
Emergency move brings central bank's rate cuts this year to 125 basis points
The Belt and Road Initiative 2020 Survey – A more sustainable road to growth?
The third annual Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) survey reveals that central banks view BRI investment as sustainable compared with other forms of external debt, particularly given it is often proportionally less significant. Despite growing global trade…