Central Banking
BoE chief cashier looks forward to further innovations in the use of cash
Chris Salmon, chief cashier and executive director for banking services at the Bank of England, says ‘local recycling' of cash in ATMs poses questions over authentication
Lithuanian governor says banking union does not require treaty change
As Lithuania gears up to take over the EU rotating presidency, central bank governor Vasiliauskas is confident of reaching a compromise on banking union within the existing legal framework
Japan government pension fund re-jig could see BoJ pick up $80bn in JGBs
Japan’s sovereign welfare fund signals could sell up to ¥8 trillion worth of domestic bonds; BoJ could potentially absorb them as it seeks to drive up the country’s monetary base
Bundesbank research studies how weak resolution rules impact growth
Discussion paper employs ‘catharsis indicator’ to show that stronger resolution regimes reward good firms and help to allocate credit effectively, boosting growth
India issues inflation-indexed bonds to curb gold imports
India's debut issuance of inflation-linked bonds four times over-subscribed despite the launch coming as wholesale price inflation has tapered off; could be credit negative for India
IMF paper explores link between low interest rates and bank risk-taking
Working paper finds banks take more risks in low short-term interest rate environment; more so if they are well capitalised
Subbarao criticises plans to expand powers of regulatory supergroup
Reserve Bank of India governor Duvvuri Subbarao speaks out against plans to give Financial Stability and Development Council responsibility for regulating systemic risk
Basel securitisation reform creates 'perverse incentives’, says senior Japanese banker
Inconsistent rules are damaging financial intermediation, according to Takashi Oyama of Norinchukin Bank
Fed’s Raskin warns of shortcomings in leverage ratio
Sarah Bloom Raskin says a leverage ratio can guard against the failings of risk-weighted capital requirements, but cautions that the ratio has issues of its own
FDIC clarifies approach to use of credit ratings
Article in latest edition of FDIC’s Supervisory Insights sets out expectations regarding credit risk due diligence, explaining what role credit ratings should play in making investment decisions
RBA researchers test new BVAR-DSGE method on Australia
New modelling technique aims to overcome small, open economy issues in previous attempts to combine Bayesian VAR and DSGE methods
ECB keeps SME measures ‘on the shelves’ and holds rates alongside BoE
Draghi says further unconventional measures were discussed at today’s meeting of the governing council, but are being held in reserve; ECB joins Bank of England in taking no policy action
Lagarde says QE risks are real, but bubbles are not forming yet
IMF managing director says accommodative policy should remain in place in advanced economies, but clear articulation of an exit strategy will be needed to avoid a repeat of 1994's ‘brutal exit'
ECB taken to task over SME finance in Central Banking debate
Participants in latest Central Banking On Air debate accuse central banks of 'unreasonably neglecting' SME funding difficulties; question whether the type of assets central banks hold is important
IMF paper says direct eurozone spillovers limited to US and UK banks
Working paper analyses effects of eurozone crisis at bank level; finds direct impact limited to UK and US though other regions could be susceptible to knock-on effects
Financial exclusion in Europe driven by move away from cash, study finds
New report from Brussels-based pressure group finds financial exclusion is a growing phenomenon as cash falls out of favour for everyday transactions
Bank of England annual report redefines financial stability
BoE annual report reveals change in interpretation of financial stability; central bank must maintain ‘efficient flow of funds' in the economy and ‘confidence in financial intermediaries'
Reserve Bank of Australia holds rates as exports drive growth
RBA decides against further cuts, as exchange rate converges on terms of trade and exports drive economic growth
Latvia to adopt euro in 2014
European Commission gives Latvia the green light to become eighteenth eurozone member after it comfortably meets convergence criteria, but ECB voices concerns over price and financial stability
Riksbank predicts ‘elimination’ of retail payments competition
Sweden’s retail payments market is expanding but Sveriges Riksbank says larger players will prevail and smaller companies ‘will be eliminated’
RBA research analyses factors driving US credit crunch
Working paper finds shutdown of the securitisation market explains a ‘significant share’ of the credit tightening in the US in the run-up to the global financial crisis
Fischer gives high marks to Bernanke and Draghi
Outgoing Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fischer believes the world owes a great debt to Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and praises ECB president Mario Draghi; says Israel can live with side effects of QE
Draghi and Carstens step up at BIS as King retires
Mervyn King's retirement as governor of the Bank of England has created three chair positions on BIS committees that will be filled by the heads of the ECB and the Bank of Mexico
Price stability ‘pivotal’ in shaping exchange rate pressures
Bank of Finland discussion paper analyses pressure on exchange rates during financial crisis; says countries that experienced high inflation beforehand were hardest hit