Regulation
RBZ to introduce new capital mandatory for banks
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe intends to introduce a new capital regime for the banking sector which will relate a particular bank's risk profile to what authorities will require of it in terms of safeguards, according to the Financial Gazette.
Iran: New central bank governor speaks on policy
Iran's recently appointed central bank chief Ebrahim Sheybani said Saturday the CBI will try to maintain more attentive supervision over monetary policies to better rein in inflation, reports the IRNA news agency.
China's banking regulator to set up advisory body
the New China News Agency reports that China's Banking Regulatory Commission said it intends to set up a non-profit international advisory committee made up of people in supervisory roles in internationally-renowned banks.
Bank of Spain presents annual report on regulation
The Bank of Spain presented its annual report on its regulatory activities on Thursday, it is reported by Expansion.
Bank of Finland to cease Baltic monitoring
The Bank of Finland will end its monitoring of the Baltic states from next year, the Baltic News Service reports. The bank said the states have in a way reached a watershed and at a certain point the transition is regarded as complete.
Drive for greater SEC powers
Senior Republicans on Wednesday 21 May introduced a draft bill that they said would help rebuild investor confidence and increase the powers of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Times reports.
Russia's chief banker briefs Putin on inflation
Speaking on Channel One TV in Russia, Sergey Ignatyev said the central bank must continue to strengthen banking supervision and that over a number of years, we will deliver full convertibility for the rouble.
Kuwait Islamic Banking Law opens doors for others
An article in Arab News says Kuwait's long-awaited Islamic banking law leaves Saudi Arabia and Oman the only two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states which do not have an Islamic banking law in place.
Experts want Nigeria's central bank split into two
A team of experts from the IMF, Bank of England, CBN and key areas has recommended splitting the central bank of Nigeria into two separate institutions with different responsibilities, according to a report from This Day News.
New Chinese banking panel to focus on loan reform
The newly established China Banking Regulatory Commission has revealed its priorities will be to reduce the NPL ratios at commercial banks and quicken reform at state-owned commercial banks, says The China Daily.
Fed's Ferguson to head G7 stability body-G7 source
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger Ferguson will be named the new head of the Financial Stability Forum this weekend, Reuters reports. A G7 source apparently said on Thursday "It will be Ferguson" when asked about the appointment, according to a Reuters…
Hoenig on supervisory information disclosure
In a speech on 'Should More Supervisory Information Be Publicly Disclosed?' Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said although bank supervisors must be very careful in defining the role they will play in financial markets, they could…
Germany sparks row over bank watchdog
Bundesbank president Ernst Welteke is reported by the Independent newspaper to have said on Tuesday 13 May that Germany rather than London should house the new supervisory regulator for banking in Frankfurt because of the proximity to the ECB and because…
Ghana- Bill against money laundering in the offing
An anti-money laundering bill developed by the Bank of Ghana, according to Ghanaweb, is intended to address the devastating economic, security and social consequences of money laundering.
Hoenig calls for more disclosure by banks
Speaking at the Chicago Fed conference Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Hoenig said banks could make "relevant disclosures" unearthed by supervisors about such issues as credit quality problems or substantial market risks, Reuters reports
New Irish financial regulator welcomed
An article in the Irish Times welcomes the development of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority (IFSRA), saying it makes little sense for financial services activities within a group to be regulated by separate regulators when a failure of…
Solomon Island: pyramid fraud shuts cb and banks
The Solomon Islands has shut major banks including the central bank after threats were made by the organisers of a failed pyramid investment scheme to blow up the banks, says the Sydney Morning Herald
Mutebile wants full BOU independence
The governor of the central bank of Uganda is seeking more autonomy for the bank to protect it from political interference. Appearing before the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), Mutebile called for an amendment to the BOU Statute, according to a…
Big German banks to pay dearly for Basel II - Buba
Bundesbank council member Edgar Meister has said large German companies will pay heavily under the new Basel II regime as they will have to set aside billions of euros in additional capital to buffer against surprise losses.
Regular OTC Derivatives Market Statistics
The Global OTC Derivatives Market at end-December 2002, 8 May. The BIS is releasing today its semiannual statistics on positions in the global OTC derivatives market for end-December 2002. The statistics cover the notional amounts and gross market values…
Ecuador's Gutierrez withdraws bill from Congress
Four days after the president of Ecuador submitted a bill to Congress which aimed at reform of the central bank, the bill was withdrawn. President Gutierrez said the withdrawal aimed to "reformulate and enrich it with opinions from the Central Bank,…
Report says Bank of Canada broke contract rules
The Canadian Press reports that the Bank of Canada apparently broke its own financial rules over the awarding of contracts worth millions of dollars. Apparently the Bank twice hired consulting firms without getting competing bids and then paid them…
FATF cancels Philippine mission due to Sars fears
The Financial Action Task Force has cancelled a mission to the Philippines due to the threat posed by Sars.
QIS 3 - Basel Committee releases Impact Study
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has released the results of the latest field test of new capital rules. This is the third impact study undertaken by the committee and was intended to show how the committee's new capital accord will impact the…