Banks
Moskow expects US to hit growth potential in 2003
Michael Moskow has followed up Robert McTeer's comments we reported yesterday, saying the central bank's accommodative monetary policy will help US economic growth recover to full speed by next year. He is just the latest in a line of Federal Reserve…
Korea hosts EMEAP
The Bank of Korea began its 24th Executives' Meeting of East Asia and Pacific Central Banks (EMEAP) deputies on 25 November on the southern resort island of Cheju. It is expected that around 35 central bank deputy-governors and executives from EMEAP…
Reserve Management in an Era of Low Returns
RESEARCH - Although central banks have traditionally conducted their reserves management in a conservative and risk-averse way, the very low interest rates we see now have caused central banks, like other fixed income investors, to search for higher…
Serb payment reform to prompt new bank mergers
Yugoslavia will shift responsibility for payment systems in January 2003 to commercial banks and away from the state controlled central bank. The move towards a more competitive payment systems market is likely to prove a testing time for Serbia and…
Bank of Japan to begin share buying plan next week
JAPAN - Japan's shock move to purchase equities in a bid to solve the banks bad loans crisis will begin next week. Last week Japan's FSA brought further concern suggesting that the problem could have been underestimated by as much as Y13,000bn.
Indian banks cautioned on risks in e-banking
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India has cautioned Indian banks about the inherent risk factors that accompany the introduction of high-tech electronic delivery system in the banking sector.
RBZ launches new payment system
ZIMBABWE - Starting on November 18, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) will introduce an electronic transfer and settlement system (ZETSS) that will link Zimbabwe's commercial banks in the movement of funds among participating banks using settlement…
Deflation may be the real danger for central banks
ARTICLE - Deflation or inflation - could the central bank guns be facing in the wrong direction? This article suggests that rather than worry about inflation, the major central banks could instead be preparing for a battle against the opposite, deflation.
Risk-profile onus falls on India's banks
INDIA - The RBI has rolled out Risk Based Supervision (RBS) for banks. The central bank has sent a template of prudential norms to all banks to independently measure their prudential status.
Mboweni takes inflation plan to the people
SOUTH AFRICA - South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Tito Mboweni took the central bank's views on inflation to the public on Wednesday, stressing the bank would not try to meet its targets "at all costs".
Bies on effective accounting and disclosure
SPEECH - In the speech 'Effective Accounting and Disclosure for Financial Transactions and Financial Institutions' made on 7 November, Susan Bies of the Federal Reserve said a restoration of public confidence in the U.S. capital markets has begun, but…
Nigerian banks need code of operations, CBN chief
NIGERIA - Worried about recent experience in the global financial sector where corporate scandals have become the order of the day, governor of the Central Bank, Chief Joseph Sanusi, has asked banks to draw up a national code guiding operations of…
Total of bad loans understated by Y13,000bn - FSA
JAPAN - Japan's Financial Services Agency has revealed for the first time that it believes bad loans at the country's banks are Y13,000bn (£68bn) greater than the banks say.
World Bank backs more powers for Bangko Sentral
PHILIPPINES - The world Bank favours the legislation of stronger powers for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to intervene in cash-strapped banks as part of further reforms to improve the country's regulatory and supervisory framework.
UAE concession to foreign banks
UAE - Foreign banks in the United Arab Emirates are to receive a concession under a new central bank law to be issued early next year.
Basel Committee QIS 3 Frequently Asked Questions
REPORT - Supervisors and banks have raised the following issues since the distribution of the Basel Committee's Quantitative Impact Study 3 (QIS 3), 30 October.
Banking Bunkum
ARTICLE - The Asia Times takes a look at central banks and suggests they have similar characteristics to libraries, where books and money serve the same purpose. They also tell us that ex Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker once said "central bankers…
Indian banks to take up forward trading in gold
INDIA - In what is seen as a possible first step in opening up the Indian bullion market, all scheduled commercial banks authorised to deal in gold have been permitted to enter into forward contracts with their constituents (exporters of gold products,…
Europe's best defence against deflation
ARTICLE - Many people are worried about deflation. Severe deflation, as in the early 1930s, is catastrophic; mild deflation, as in Japan today, could become self-reinforcing. There are, moreover, similarities between early 1990s Japan and parts of Europe…
AGCC reaffirms switchover plan to single currency
ARTICLE - Governors of AGCC central banks have reaffirmed their commitment to introducing a common currency for the six-member Arab states, as Gulf economies are gradually embracing the idea of globalisation and financial sector liberalisation.
Thailand's credit card rate to be capped at 18%
THAILAND - Interest rates and charges for credit cards issued by both banks and non-banks should be capped at 18%, says Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
Brazil's central bank president want independence
BRAZIL - The autonomy of the Central Bank in the future Brazilian administration was defended by the bank's current president, Arminio Fraga, and by a former one, Gustavo Franco, in Rio de Janeiro.
Canada's c bank warns of spike in inflation
CANADA - The Bank of Canada said Wednesday economic growth will be lower than expected in the short term but inflation could still double the bank's target by year-end, as Canada continues to be pulled in opposite directions by uncertain global markets…
ECB Working Paper Series
RESEARCH - 'Should central banks really be flexible?', by Hans Peter Gruner, October 2002. The paper looks at a model where risk averse trade unions interact with a central bank. Gruner shows that central bank flexibility is not necessarily desirable…