Central Banking
Eurozone faces big test as EFSF downgrade looms
European Financial Stability Facility's credit rating could be downgraded after Standard and Poor's places the sovereign ratings of Germany and France on negative watch
NALM Africa 2011: Beware the risk 'numbers' say African central bankers
African central bank risk chiefs say reserves managers need to beware the numbers produced by complicated risk management software systems and rely more on their own qualitative judgement
European Commission draws up new list of countries for Solvency II equivalence
Decision on Bermuda, Japan and Switzerland equivalence to be taken once Level 2 measures agreed
Change to Japan clearing mandate ends LCH-JSCC talks
A decision to limit the scope of Japan's clearing mandate has torpedoed months of partnership talks between LCH.Clearnet and the Japan Securities Clearing Corporation
IMF paper on how to better manage commodity price cycles
Fund study shows that flexible exchange rate regimes help shield commodity-exporting countries from sudden declines in commodity prices
Chinese labour costs contributed to US job losses: Fed paper
Federal Reserve study says decline in US manufacturing employment was largely attributable to relatively low investment and slow growth in the US, rather than China's competitive labour market
Monetary policy should not be overburdened: ECB’s Stark
European Central Bank executive board member Jürgen Stark says solution to sovereign debt crisis is primarily in the hands of eurozone governments not central bank
Markets will drive policymakers into action: Denmark’s Bernstein
National Bank of Denmark governor Nils Bernstein says eurozone governments are short of solutions to debt crisis but must reach a consensus
Fed promotes directors on district boards
Federal Reserve announces string of changes to chair and deputy chair of regional Fed board of directors for 2012
MAS reshuffles senior management
Departure of Leo Mun Wai as head of Monetary Authority of Singapore's capital markets group triggers series of changes to management at central bank
Cyprus governor warns country has 'lost credibility'
Athanasios Orphanides tells parliamentary committee that budget measures must be pushed through quickly to restore confidence in Cyprus; warns the country has lost credibility
Philippines banking sector liberalisation continues
Central Bank of the Philippines awards seven banks the right to open 162 branches in previously 'restricted' zones; next phase in the liberalisation of the domestic banking sector
Ireland launches new supervisory framework
Central Bank of Ireland says Prism model will better equip it to identify and deal with threats to banking sector in a timely manner; concerns remain over flexibility of framework
Australia announces new deputy governor
Philip Lowe promoted from position as assistant governor; Heather Ridout revealed as new external board member
FSB consultative group for the Americas gathers in Mexico
Central bank governors Agustín Carstens and José De Gregorio co-chair first regional group meeting to exchange views on key financial stability issues
Plosser warns Fed against engaging in fiscal policy
Philadelphia Federal Reserve president Charles Plosser says involvement in credit programmes risks blurring distinction between monetary and fiscal policy
ECB paper tests eurozone balance sheet transmission mechanism
European Central Bank study shows central bank balance sheet operations can stimulate economic activity and inflation, but has its limitations
Debt crises lead to sharp and protracted recessions: IMF paper
Fund study shows debt crises reduce output growth by about 10 percentage points and last an average of eight years
RBI’s Gokarn warns against rising food inflation
Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Subir Gokarn calls for reforms in infrastructure and technology to ease inflationary risks in the future
NALM Africa 2011: African central banks rethink reserves allocations
The drop-off in US Treasury yields and concern about a eurozone sovereign collapse has prompted a number of African central banks to review their reserves allocations
Central Bank of Tunisia makes plea to government
Newly formed interim government must act to restore investor confidence, says board of directors; calls for independence of the central bank to be protected
Riksbank appoints two new deputy governors
Kerstin af Jochnick and Per Jansson will succeed Svante Öberg and Lars Nyberg on the Swedish central bank’s executive board at the beginning of next year
US Senate passes sanctions on Central Bank of Iran
US Senate passes sanctions aimed at Iran's crucial oil industry; measure will prevent financial institutions from doing business with US and Iran, forcing them to choose
Bank of England selects new chief for Special Resolution Unit
Andrew Gracie returns to Bank of England to lead special resolution unit; takes over later this month