Central Banking
Beyond the benchmark: redesigning emerging market debt allocations
Franklin Templeton analysis shows popular EMD indexes are limited by their focus on the largest and most developed countries in the world, resulting in unattractive spreads and limited risk diversification
Central banks need to step up their crisis management plans
Patrick Honohan argues that robust preparation can better protect reputations in the event of a crisis
Trump’s rate cuts ‘demand’ spells trouble for Fed – economists
Comments will cause problems for central bank and threaten its independence, academics claim
Philadelphia Fed documents troubling credit trends in US
Revolving credit and delinquencies on rise as minimum payments hit peak for the decade
Bangladesh Bank’s ex-governor warns of ‘politicisation’ of hacking
Rahman says bank was “victim, not accomplice” as anti-corruption body seeks to investigate 2016 theft
Singapore eases monetary policy for first time since 2020
Central bank slows exchange rate appreciation as core inflation falls and trade concerns loom
BoJ raises policy rate to highest level since 2008
Policy-makers raise inflation forecasts and signal further rate rises
Immigration reduces inflation in US – IMF paper
But immigrants put upward pressure on house prices, study finds
Bank Indonesia’s YouTube channel hacked
Hackers streamed bitcoin-related content before page was restored
Trump names interim heads of financial regulators
US president also bans agencies from taking decisions until permanent appointees are in place
Lebanon’s depositors unlikely to see compensation, say analysts
Economists remain pessimistic, with one saying central bank should seek external help
Turkey’s central bank cuts rates by another 250bp
Second consecutive reduction comes despite inflation remaining at 44%
China tells insurers and mutual funds to buy more stocks
Regulators, including PBoC, provide new instructions to boost domestic equities market
Norges Bank says time is not yet right for easing
Central bank holds rates, but suggests cut is likely in March
AI can solve more complex economic models – BIS paper
Neural networks help economists solve and estimate non-linear heterogeneous agent models
Bank of Israel governor hints at rate cuts this year
Yaron suggests up to two cuts in second half of 2025 as inflation edges towards bank’s target
Inflation uncertainty spills over into US – Fed study
Lack of clarity over input costs and interest rates leads to lower levels of investment, study finds
Libya to issue new banknotes
Central bank announces plan for five, 10 and 20 dinar bills amid continued cash shortage
Bank Negara Malaysia holds policy rate
Central bank has left key rate unchanged for 20 months against backdrop of strong growth
EBA launches stricter EU-wide stress test for 2025
Banks face more scrutiny of credit risks following “overly optimistic projections” in past exercises
European Commission in ‘listening mode’ on potential FRTB changes
Delay or relief measures on the table after UK postpones start of Basel III to 2027
IMF commends Ethiopian central bank’s reforms
Institution says NBE’s measures helped country make progress in debt restructuring talks
Fed leaves central bank climate alliance
Departure from NGFS came ahead of US withdrawal from Paris climate agreement
Large firms drive inflation in advanced economies – BIS study
Analysis of barcode scanner data finds pricing decisions by individual companies have outsize impact