Central Banking
IMF sees ‘limited scope’ for RBA rate cuts
Article IV staff report says Reserve Bank of Australia’s accommodative monetary policy is ‘broadly appropriate’ but warns the central bank could struggle to offset further shocks
Bank of England unveils forward guidance ‘phase two'
The current policy will be scrapped when UK unemployment reaches the bank's 7% threshold ‘in the coming months' in favour of a less easily defined version aimed at reducing labour market slack
CLS set to add Russian ruble in November, source says
Industry settlement utility CLS is poised to add the ruble to its currency universe in November
Maldives chief economist nominated as governor after presidential volte-face
Azeema Adam looks set to become the next governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority, after the president withdrew his first candidate for the role
Mauritian governor calls for RBA-style capitalisation
Rundheersing Bheenick says the Bank of Mauritius should receive a stock of government debt it can use to mop up the excess liquidity in the banking system caused by its FX interventions
German banks use interest rate swaps as substitute strategies for managing interest rate risk exposure
They also use on-balance-sheet adjustments of the 'duration gap', Bundesbank discussion paper looking at banks' interest rate risk management finds
RBI paper explores quality of Indian banks’ assets
Researcher acknowledges that asset quality has suffered in the wake of the crisis, but is convinced that banks’ balance sheets are ‘not alarming at the current juncture’
Kazakhs let currency fall 19%
National Bank of Kazakhstan points to the Fed taper and ‘uncertainty’ around the exchange rate of the Russian ruble as the main motivations for devaluing the tenge
Hungary central bank sets out stress test methodology
Working paper explains how the National Bank of Hungary conducts its stress tests, aimed at ensuring the system can survive an intensive month-long liquidity shock
Yellen says labour market recovery ‘far from complete' in first appearance as chair
New Fed chair says she expects ‘a great deal of continuity in the FOMC's approach to monetary policy' going forward; downplays unemployment rate for evaluating labour market conditions
Bank of England has no evidence it 'condoned' FX market manipulation
UK central bank launched an investigation into allegations its own staff condoned foreign exchange market manipulation, months before the case came to light last week
Governors grapple with regulatory implications of African mobile money growth
African central bank heads agree to develop comparative surveys of mobile money regulation, as mobile banking takes off
German debt office poised to collateralise swaps
Pending 2014 budget would allow Finanzagentur to post up to €8 billion in collateral
IMF voices concern over ‘weakening of central bank independence' in Bolivia
Any changes stemming from new constitution should ‘conserve supremacy of central bank law', says IMF; analyst says independence has not led to price stability
Former BoE staffer sets out vision for Bank's reorganisation
Richard Barwell, now a senior economist at RBS, calls for a reshuffle at the Bank of England which would see the MPC gain a majority of external members, and a redefined chief economist position
ECB monetary policy is feeding through to real economy, says Mersch
Executive board member also underscores importance of cleaning up banks' balance sheets and 'encouraging alternative funding sources', as low interest rates 'cannot raise growth on a structural basis'
ECB ‘strongly supports’ new payments directive
The European Central Bank gives its backing to a new payments directive that aims to create a more integrated European market for electronic payments
Riksbank unveils organisational shake-up
Three new units streamlining asset management and payment operations will come into being on March 1; also announces transfer of Skr3.3 billion to Treasury
ECB names five SSM deputies
The European Central Bank appoints five deputy directors-general to its single supervisory mechanism with another two to follow; the Bank of Spain contributes a second senior supervisor
Visco calls for ‘rapid’ SRM agreement
Bank of Italy governor Ignazio Visco urges the European Parliament and Council for the EU to find a common ground on the SRM; argues for single resolution fund to be fast-tracked
Borio-led BIS team proposes new approach to measure output gap
Trying to calculate the output gap using the Phillips curve is problematic, say Basel-based economists; new approach finds financial cycle proxies add ‘significant information' to the estimate
Asia uses macro-prudential policies to greater effect, IMF paper finds
Macro-prudential policy has curbed credit growth and bank leverage in several Asian countries over the past decade; loan-to-value ratio caps and housing tax measures among most effective instruments
Hungary chided by ECB over threat to suspend governor
Hungarian law states that if the governor or deputy governors fail to declare personal wealth, they could be relieved of their posts; ECB points out this is insufficient grounds under European statute
US foreign investment flows 'significantly' impacted by surprising monetary policy
Both gross and net foreign investment income flows in US and Canada impacted, SNB paper finds; suggests foreign balance sheet channels plays 'increasingly important role' for monetary transmission