Regulation
Koh Yong Guan to be new MAS managing director
SINGAPORE - Mr Koh Yong Guan, Permanent Secretary for National Development Ministry, will take over from Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore from Monday.
Japan Yanagisawa: Ratios to weather NPL write-offs
JAPAN - Japan's top financial regulator Hakuo Yangisawa said Monday banks will likely be able to keep their capital adequacy ratios above 8% even if they write off their non-performing loans.
BI won't freeze bin Laden's assets
INDONESIA - Bank Indonesia has refused to freeze financial assets linked to Osama bin Laden as demanded by the U.S. government, according to Antara news agency.
Regulators seek more data about credit derivatives
US - U.S. bank regulators, saying the notional amount of credit derivatives at banks has increased more than sixfold since 1997, from $55 billion to $352 billion, are proposing new reporting requirements on credit derivatives.
FSA 'self-critical' of role in Equitable
UK - An internal investigation by the Financial Services Authority has sharply criticised its own role in the Equitable Life debacle.
Fed nominees pledge inflation fight, help growth
US - Two candidates for the Federal Reserve board, Susan Bies and Mark Olson, Wednesday gave their support to the U.S. central bank's dual mandate of fighting inflation and pursuing steady economic growth.
Fed eases rules on foreign banks, US branches
US - Almost four years after it was first proposed, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved easing rules on activities of branches of U.S. banks abroad and for U.S.-based branches of foreign financial institutions.
Economic leaders choose Ottawa
CANADA - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have confirmed that their delayed annual meetings will now be held in Ottawa on 17-18 November.
Gambia struggles with economic reform
GAMBIA - Presidential elections this week in the Gambia will push the small West African nation into the international limelight.
ECB's Hamalainen urges speedier market integration
IRELAND - European Central Bank board member Sirkka Hamalainen has urged euro zone countries to speed up the integration of financial markets and help the implementation of monetary policy in the 12-member currency bloc.
Ministers clear way on money laundering laws
EUROPE - European Union finance ministers on Tuesday 16 October cleared the way for a long-sought agreement on tougher money-laundering laws that could be used to fight terrorism.
International finance meetings back on agenda
UK - The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are finalising plans to call meetings of their powerful policy-making committees within two months. The meetings were postponed after the 11 September attacks.
World's most unusual central bank
AFGHANISTAN - This is no ordinary central bank. The currency reserves of the Northern Alliance - large wads of Afghani notes that arrive from neighbouring Tajikistan - are kept in a broom cupboard in a mud-walled hut in the dusty Afghan town of Khoja…
Ex-economics minister again c bank council member
ESTONIA - Along with the president's decision to relieve Mihkel Parnoja of the post of economics minister, Parnoja's powers as member of the supervisory council of the Bank of Estonia were restored.
Swaziland on money-laundering alert
SWAZILAND - Swaziland is on alert for foreign organisations trying to channel money through the tiny African kingdom after a government official was offered a bribe, authorities said on Monday 15 October.
Euro coins out in Austria ahead of official launch
AUSTRIA - A small volume of euro-denominated coins have already entered into circulation amongst the general public in Austria. This is despite the fact that starter packs of euro coins are not officially due to be released to private citizens until mid…
Financial regulator rejects Tory call for probe
UK - The City regulator has rejected Conservative calls for an investigation of the government's role in the collapse of Railtrack, and told MPs if impropriety were proven it would be up to the government to prosecute itself.
Repse's deputy may take a shot at top position
LATVIA - The Bank of Latvia vice-president Ilmars Rimsevics may agree to run for the top position with the central bank, if approached with such an offer.
Hearing on nominees to US Fed set for 17 Oct
US - The U.S. Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on 17 October to consider two candidates for the Federal Reserve Board, a Senate aide said on Friday 12 October.
Egypt's central bank deputy becomes temporary head
EGYPT - Egypt's deputy central bank governor, Mahmoud Abu Al-Ayoun, is standing in as the governor of the bank until a new one is appointed to replace Ismail Hassan, a central bank official said Monday 15 October.
Why China needs a real central bank
ARTICLE - On paper, the People's Bank of China is in charge of monetary affairs - In reality, its authority is emasculated by party politics - a huge liability as WTO entry nears.
Conference targets terror funds
CANADA - An international conference on money laundering opens in Montreal late on Monday 15 October, aimed at helping countries harmonise their approaches to tackling the issue.
Prime candidate for Bank of England hot seat
ARTICLE - In all the turmoil over a momentous weekend, a valuable contribution to City gossip is in danger of being overlooked. The esteemed City chronicler, Christopher Fildes, reminded us in his Spectator column last week that the next big job vacancy…
Speech by Christian Noyer of the ECB
SPEECH - Speech by Mr. Christian Noyer, Vice-President of the European Central Bank, at the European Federation of Finance House Associations (EUROFINAS) conference, Warsaw, 15 October.