Banknotes
Former Vietnamese governor suspended over corruption scandal
After reports implicate Le Duc Thuy, a former governor of the State Bank, the country’s prime minister forces him out of public service
Australian banknote makers charged with bribery
Securency and Note Printing Australia face bribery and corruption charges from Australian authorities; Reserve Bank of Australia cleared of any wrongdoing
Canada unveils polymer banknotes
Canada unveils new polymer banknotes; changes to combat counterfeiting
Thieves seize 500,000 pesos from Argentina coffers: reports
Central Bank of Argentina robbed of 500,000 pesos' worth of withdrawn bills, say reports; central bank declines to comment
Ex-De La Rue chief decamps to rival
Oberthur Technologies snaps up former De La Rue chief executive James Hussey; shares in UK banknote producer slump as Oberthur ends interest in rival
De La Rue profits nose-dive
UK banknote printer De La Rue reports 63% decline in operating profits after racking up large costs from a “single customer”
Malaysia announces new banknotes and coins for 2012
Bank Negara Malaysia to issue new banknotes and coins; design will be “distinctively Malaysia”
Bank of Namibia to issue new banknotes in 2012
New security features will be added to notes; old notes will still be legal tender
Cash has a future: Sweden’s Nyberg
Riksbank deputy governor Lars Nyberg predicts cash will continue to be used for payment despite decline in usage
Sweden picks famous faces for new banknotes
Riksbank announces motifs to be emblazoned on new banknotes; include actress Greta Garbo, author Astrid Lindgren and singer Birgit Nilsson
Bank’s Cleland: £5 note replenishing scheme “on track”
Bank of England head of banknotes division Victoria Cleland says £5 note replenishing scheme was on schedule but may need to be stepped up
Canada to launch first polymer note this year
Bank of Canada set to issue new C$100 polymer banknote in November 2011; says entire series will be unveiled in the spring
Libya’s Bengdara pleads for softer sanctions on central bank: report
Central Bank of Libya governor Farhat Bengdara tells Wall Street Journal he is lobbying for some leniency on central bank sanctions; says cannot return to Tripoli
SNB to close Geneva office as cash distribution services are outsourced
Swiss National Bank says Geneva office will close next year as cash distribution services to be carried out by private firms; fifteen staff affected by closure
RBI aims to cut reliance on banknote paper imports by half with new mill
Reserve Bank of India governor Duvvuri Subbarao says new state-of-the-art paper mill will cut imports for banknote paper by “more than half”
HKMA plans launch of new HK$500 note
Hong Kong Monetary Authority says banknote will enter circulation next week
Sri Lanka launches new banknote series
Central Bank of Sri Lanka series in 20 years; new edition contains several new advanced security features and first SLRs5000 denomination
Paper fault has not damaged business, says defiant De La Rue
Banknote printer insists fault which has hammered share price and fuelled takeover spat with French rival has not blighted business; discussions with RBI “ongoing”
Ex-Vietnam governor linked to Securency bribery scandal
Payments from polymer-maker Securency alleged to have been channelled to fund education of former State of Bank of Vietnam governor Le Duc Thuy's child
Oberthur drops De La Rue bid after increased offer flops
French banknote printer Oberthur Technologies abandons bid for British rival De La Rue following failure of increased offer at 935 pence per share
De La Rue rejects raised Oberthur bid
De La Rue board passes on new offer from French rival Oberthur Technologies of 935 pence per share, says bid still undervalues firm; US equity house Bain Capital reportedly backing Oberthur’s attempt
Euro counterfeits drop by 5.9%
European Central Bank statistics show 364,000 forged euro banknotes recovered in second half of 2010; €50 note remains most popular bill to fake
Oberthur seeks equity house support in De La Rue takeover bid: reports
French banknote firm Oberthur reportedly in talks to issue private equity houses with convertible bond to fund De La Rue acquisition
Oberthur given takeover deadline as De La Rue spat intensifies
French banknote printer told to “put up or shut up” by 7 February; ruling comes on the heels of efforts to force De La Rue to clarify relationship with RBI, failed November takeover bid