Central Banking
Lebanon sets in motion plans to create SWF
Lebanese energy bill paves way for creation of sovereign wealth fund; government aide says proceeds will be managed by the Ministry of Energy and Water
Ability of Bric nations to revive global economy exaggerated, say analysts
The contribution of Brazil, Russia, India and China to the world economy is still too small to compensate for low demand in advanced economies.
Rand volatility a by-product of open economy: Sarb’s Mminele
South African Reserve Bank deputy governor Daniel Mminele says currency fluctuations are to be expected; stresses opposition to fixed exchange rate, dropping inflation targeting
Banks overestimate Basel III’s impact on growth: regulators
Basel body says hiking capital ratios by one percentage point will only cause 0.19% drop in potential GDP as lower rates will cushion the blow; industry bodies remain unconvinced
Minneapolis Fed’s Kocherlakota on the FOMC’s outlook
President of Minneapolis Federal Reserve Narayana Kocherlakota says recovery will only be “moderate”
BoJ on dollar’s “exorbitant privilege”
Bank of Japan research notes that with great privilege comes great responsibility
Vietnam continues dong devaluation
State Bank of Vietnam devalues the dong for the third time in the past 12 months
BoE: Agents’ summary of business conditions (June 2010)
Bank of England’s June summary of business conditions finds retailers fear government spending cuts
National Bank of the Republic of Belarus – Annual Report (2009)
National Bank of the Republic of Belarus’ 2009 Annual Report shows worsening terms of trade
Iceland slashes on strengthening króna
Central Bank of Iceland cuts rates by one percentage point as it prepares to buy foreign currency following króna gains
Beijing welcomes world into interbank capital market
People’s Bank of China grants foreign banks and central banks access to interbank bond markets for the first time; move inspired by need to internationalise the renminbi
Australia’s Stevens warns on dangers of over-regulation
Reserve Bank of Australia’s Glenn Stevens cautions against a return to the “intrusive” regulation seen in the United States in the 1930s
ECB paper: global finance has little impact on Mediterranean
Real economy, not finance, impacts Mediterranean, research published by the European Central Bank posits
HKMA: Australia’s investment-led deficit well balanced
Hong Kong Monetary Authority study shows that current account deficits are not always a bad thing
RBA minutes: inflation hits new low
Minutes of Reserve Bank of Australia’s August meeting show inflation fell to three year low in July
King writes third letter in a row to government explaining above-target inflation
Bank of England governor Mervyn King pens year's third letter to account for inflation of more than one percentage point above target; stresses health of long-term expectations, but economists unsure
Nordic and Baltic regions strike financial stability deal
Eight Nordic and Baltic countries sign Memorandum of Understanding on cross-border financial stability and crisis management
Bank's Haldane: regulators must consider changing shape and structure of finance
Executive director for financial stability at the Bank of England says regulators should reconsider the structure of financial contracts, markets, and institutions
Potential limit on terms could lead to Wellink’s departure
Dutch finance minister proposes a 14-year limit on the tenure of central bank presidents; proposal could bring Nout Wellink’s reign as president of the Netherlands Bank to an end next year
Ex-PBoC’s Su new chair of country’s biggest electronic payments provider
Former People’s Bank of China deputy governor Su Ning made chairman of China UnionPay, country’s biggest payments service; Su replaces Liu Tinghuan, also formerly of the central bank
Fed toughens rules on consumer protection
Federal Reserve announces measures to protect mortgage borrowers from deceptive practices
NY Fed: emergency dollar swap lines a success
New York Federal Reserve study says dollar swap facilities provided effective source of funding to banks during financial crisis
Indian inflation back in single digits on back of Reserve Bank hikes
Official data on wholesale price index show inflation fell to 9.97% last month
Bank of Israel: riskier firms still turn to banks for funding
Bank of Israel study says profitability of firm and size determined method of financing with low profit firms preferring bank loans