Regulation
SocGen halt processing of checks from Israel banks
FRANCE - French bank Societe Generale SA (F.SGF) said Wednesday it has stopped accepting checks from its correspondent banks in Israel for a temporary period of two months amid the furore over an alleged money-laundering ring.
Jakarta expected to pass new c bank law changes
INDONESIA - Indonesia's parliament said on Tuesday it expected to pass central bank law changes in February, a move that could help end year-long debate that had once soured ties with the country's main donors.
Better not bank on Afghani
AFGHANISTAN - Abdul Qadeer Fitrat has been appointed acting governor of Da Afghanistan Bank.
Bankers quizzed over money laundering
FRANCE - Daniel Bouton, chairman of Societe Generale, the French bank, has became the latest in a long line of prominent French businesspeople to fall foul of the country's investigating magistrates.
China c bank chief vows reform as banker is sacked
CHINA - Central bank chief Dai Xianglong vowed on Tuesday to push gradual reforms and tighter supervision in China's first year as a WTO member as he confirmed the sacking and probe of a top commercial banker over problem loans.
Pakistan central bank governor announces new plan
PAKISTAN - As of 1 July, 2002, all non-banking financial services in Pakistan, such as investment and corporate advisory service; leasing, housing finance and venture capital companies and discount houses, will be regulated by the Securities and Exchange…
Gov't intends changes to Poland's MPC and c bank
POLAND - Poland's ruling coalition, a tripartite of social democrats, agrarians and labor, followed a Wednesday no-decision from Poland's Monetary Policy Council on rates with plans to force monetary loosening on the Council through legislation.
Vice governor appointed to Slovak central bank
SLOVAKIA - Tatra Banka board member Ivan Sramko was appointed a new central bank (NBS) vice-governor by Slovak President Rudolf Schuster in Bratislava on Friday.
Bahrain host meeting of Islamic money market group
BAHRAIN - Board members of the planned International Islamic Financial Market are to hold their first meeting in Bahrain on Tuesday to discuss steps to set up the market, Bahrain's central bank said on Monday.
Polish ministers ease stance on bank challenge
POLAND - Poland's government appeared to be edging away from a potentially damaging legal challenge to the central bank after a meeting yesterday.
Chinese fund managers under attack
CHINA - A Chinese stock market regulator has criticised several fund managers, accusing them of exploiting regulatory loopholes to enrich themselves and their companies at the expense of the public.
Thailand central bank appointments confirmed
THAILAND - As revealed by us on Tuesday the Thai cabinet yesterday approved the appointment of two new Bank of Thailand deputy governors.
BSP officials fined for 'unprofessionalism'
PHILIPPINES - The Court of Appeals has fined two officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and a bank examiner for their "unprofessional" handling of a case involving the Rural Bank of San Miguel (RBSM).
Israel's regulatory easing
ARTICLE - Some $260 billion (290.39 billion euros) in Israeli financial assets is walled up inside the country by regulations, discriminatory taxes and investor conservatism, kept pacified by high domestic interest rates.
Capital flow and soundness of regulation
LETTER - A letter published in the London Financial Times, 8 January 2002.
A second deputy governor of BOT to resign
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has suffered a major blow following the resignations of two deputy governors who were accused and later cleared of charges of being involved in a 1.7 billion baht ($71.4 million) fraud committed by the defunct firm,…
Central bank chief picked Oracle of the Year
LITHUANIA - Reinoldijus Sarkinas, chairman of the board of the central Bank of Lithuania, has been named the Oracle of the Year by the business newspaper Verslo Zinios, as his forecasts on 2001 macroeconomic indicators were closest to the truth.
Latvia appoints Rimsevics as new c bank head
LATVIA - The Latvian parliament has appointed Ilmars Rimsevics as Bank of Latvia president.
Names of two new Thai Deputy Governors chosen
THAILAND - Sources close to CentralBankNet at the Bank of Thailand have told us that the two replacement Deputy Governors at the Bank of Thailand were decided at a meeting on Monday. No press statement or news story has been released and we cannot…
BIS Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - BIS Board elects new Chairman and President, 7 January 2002.
Thai dep governor Kitti to leave at end of month
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand said Monday that Deputy Governor Kitti Patpong-pibul had submitted a resignation letter to the Finance Ministry and will leave the central bank at the end of the month.
Swedish central banker backs IMF bankruptcy plan
SWEDEN - An IMF plan for an international bankruptcy procedure could help financially troubled nations restructure their debt in an orderly manner and avoid the chaotic scenes witnessed in Argentina, says Riksbank's Heikensten.
Bank of Finland finds faulty 500-euro notes
FINLAND- The Bank of Finland said on Friday it had found some flawed 500-euro banknotes and said more defective notes could be in circulation.
Polish government demands rate cut
POLAND - The Polish government will take its demand for a cut in interest rates directly to the central bank's rate-setting monetary policy council by January 12th, said government spokesman Michal Tober following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.