Germany
Bundesbank president cautions against central bank shift into politics
Deutsche Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann confirms central bank’s policy advocating tighter eurozone rules while acknowledging long-term growth is needed to help peripheral countries out of debt
ECB allows eurozone central banks to veto collateral
ECB says central banks in member countries can refuse bank bonds guaranteed by governments of countries involved in EU/IMF bailout programmes as collateral
Weidmann airs unresolved questions of financial crisis
Bundesbank president details areas where research is needed to better understand the causes of the financial crisis; wants to better understand risks of securitisation practices
Weidman explains plummeting Bundesbank profit
President of the Deutsche Bundesbank explains why profit dropped drastically in 2011; increased risks led central bank to boost buffers
Buba discussion paper uncovers secrets of board risk-taking
Researchers find board changes that result in more female executives at banks can lead to increased risk-taking; executives with PhD qualifications reduce risk
Bank of Thailand governor discusses links with Germany
Prasarn Trairatvorakul highlights important trade link with Germany and commits to necessary reforms to improve Thailand’s competitiveness
Brendan Brown on life after death for the Emu
Brendan Brown puts forward a proposal for how a functioning monetary union in Europe could operate if the current system was to fail
Nazis “destroyed confidence” in BoE notes with expert counterfeits
MI5 report from 1945 says Nazis destroyed confidence in British banknotes; produced counterfeits of such high quality it was “impossible” for a lay person to tell them from the real thing
Heightened uncertainty promoted precautionary savings post-crisis, says IMF paper
Fund study says precautionary motives promoted households in advanced economies to significantly increase savings following the global financial crisis
ECB paper captures effect of eurozone sovereign risk on bond spreads
European Central Bank study says both country-specific and contagion risk contributed to widening of sovereign bond spreads against the German Bund during the financial crisis
Central bankers gather in Davos for World Economic Forum
Central banking is a hot topic at this year's World Economic Forum; attendees of the event discuss issues in Russia, Poland, China and more
Interview: Gerard Hartsink
European Payments Council chairman Gerard Hartsink tells Yusuf Yassin he welcomes the decision to set end-dates for Sepa migration, but says concerns about the regulation, raised in October, remain
Bundesbank paper captures dampening impact of bank lending
Bundesbank study shows one-third negative loan development during fallout of the financial crisis was due to purely bank-related factors
ECB paper identifies challenges to creating resolution regimes
European Central Bank study compares legal aspects of bank resolution regimes in the UK and Germany
European uncertainty reflected in central bank decisions worldwide
Germany, Austria, India and South Korea lower growth estimates as a slew of countries hold interest rates; world looks on and waits to see if Europe can agree a solution to the sovereign debt crisis
EBA finds €114.7 billion capital shortfall in Europe
European Banking Authority publishes recommendation and final results of bank recapitalisation plan; part of co-ordinated measures to restore confidence in the banking sector
ECB credibility is damaged, say CBP panellists
Fourth Central Banking ON AIR webinar sees heated discussion over the future of the eurozone; ECB has suffered damaged credibility but independence is unscathed, say panellists
Moody’s issues EU-wide credit warning
Credit rating agency says every EU sovereign rating under threat; warning given on same day OECD labels eurozone crisis “key risk to the world economy”
Commission unveils contentious Eurobond proposals
European Commission unveils three options for Eurobonds in bid to restore stability in Europe; analysts say the measures are politically unviable and ineffective
German banks face new set of risks as contagion spreads across Europe
Bundesbank 2011 Financial Stability Review says Germany’s banking system will face new burdens as sovereign debt crisis in Europe intensifies
Bundesbank accelerates Weber’s UBS start
Bundesbank permits Axel Weber to take on role as an “adviser” to UBS three months early; investment bank needs him to help fill top management void after scandal
Liquidity concerns explain high level of cash transactions: Bundesbank paper
Bundesbank study says high percentage of cash transactions due to consumers' willingness to monitor liquidity
Greece will receive bailout funds despite missing target, say analysts
Greece finance ministry says country will fall short of its fiscal deficit reduction target for 2011; analysts still expect Troika to approve sixth bailout tranche
Germany backs new EFSF powers
Concerns over firepower of European Financial Stability Facility remain despite its new enhanced powers after Berlin passes new legislation with majority vote