Banks
David Klein's mysterious adventure
ARTICLE - Several weeks ago, the premier international rating agency Standard & Poor downgraded the credit ratings of Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, and Bank Discount. This action was driven by concern over the quality of loans these banks have issued. In…
BoJ to buy $16bn of banks' shareholdings
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan on Friday said it would buy yen 2,000bn ($16.5bn) of banks' shareholdings to make them less vulnerable to stock market swings.
Armenian MPs discuss amendment on money laundering
ARMENIA - The Armenian parliament has discussed in its first reading a package of draft laws on amendments to the current Armenian laws "On banks and banking activities", "On the Central Bank of Armenia" and "On credit activities" submitted by the…
Non-US banks may secure Sarbanes-Oxley concession
BELGIUM - Non-US banks may win a significant concession on tough new US legislation on corporate governance and accounting.
Brazil imposes stricter bank equity requirements
BRAZIL - Brazil's central bank has raised the equity requirement for banks holding US dollars, in a bid to halt the local currency's slide against the dollar, Brazilian central bank regulations director Sergio Darcy was quoted as saying by local press.
Brazil c bank imposes stricter equity requirements
BRAZIL - Brazil's central bank has raised the equity requirement for banks holding US dollars, in a bid to halt the local currency's slide against the dollar, Brazilian central bank regulations director Sergio Darcy was quoted as saying by local press.
Bank of Spain makes pessimistic on economy
SPAIN - Jaime Caruana, governor of the Bank of Spain, yesterday announced the bank's economic predictions. The central bank is expecting growth this year of no more than 2 per cent, two tenths of a percentage point lower than the government's prediction.
Chinese central bankers in visit to Taiwan
TAIWAN - A China central bank delegation heading to Taiwan may include the highest-level official yet to visit the island as Taiwan banks prepare to open their first offices across the strait, the Taipei Times said.
Brazil central bank moves to prop up currency
BRAZIL - Brazil's Central Bank on Monday made it more expensive for banks to hold foreign currency and gold assets in hopes of propping up its own local currency, the real.
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Meetings in Manchester and Liverpool, 7 October.
Impact Survey of New Basel Capital Accord
REPORT - The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision on 1 October launched a comprehensive field test for banks of its proposals for revising the 1988 Capital Accord. The field test referred to as the third quantitative impact study, or QIS 3, represents…
Aus and NZ central banks leave rates unchanged
OCEANIA - The Australian and New Zealand reserve banks left their benchmark interest rates unchanged Wednesday amid uncertainty over global economic growth.
Greenspan goes on trial for bubble complacency
ARTICLE - Alan Greenspan's reputation now lies in the balance. Which way the balance tips matters not only for him but also for the consensus on how central banks should respond to asset prices.
IMF, World Bank meetings in 2006 in Singapore
SINGAPORE - The International Monetary Fund and World Bank's annual meetings are likely to attract 15,000 delegates and S$30 million when they are staged at Singapore's Suntec City in 2006.
BOK moves to curb excessive liquidity
KOREA - The central bank will reduce preferential credit to local banks during the fourth quarter of the year, in a move to control excessive liquidity in the market.
RBI liberalises exchange control procedures
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday said banks authorised to deal in foreign exchange may permit importers in India to avail short-term credit for periods less than three years and amount not in excess of $20 million per import transaction…
Thai central bank puts loans case to Basel panel
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand has asked member countries of BIS Basel Committee to curtail loans to hedge funds, according to Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, the central bank's deputy governor overseeing stability of financial institutions.
Croatian, Indonesian central banks sign agreement
CROATIA - The HINA news agency in Zagreb reported on Monday that an agreement on understanding and cooperation between the Croatian and Indonesian central banks was signed at the Croatian National Bank on Monday during the visit of a delegation of Bank…
China revises internal bank rules
CHINA - China's central bank introduced revised rules on the internal controls of commercial banks yesterday, in a further effort to reduce the possibility of financial risks.
BoJ plans radical share buying idea to aid banks
JAPAN - In an unprecedented move, the Bank of Japan on Wednesday said it planned to buy shares from banks directly in an effort to prop up the faltering stock market.
China central bank urges banks to step up controls
CHINA - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, on Wednesday issued guidelines on commercial banks' internal control, in a bid to urge the banks to improve their control system, minimize financial risks and ensure the safety of the…
South African inflation hits record high
SOUTH AFRICA - South Africa's targeted CPIX inflation measure vaulted to a record high in August, official data showed on Tuesday, supporting the Reserve Bank's decision last week to raise interest rates for the fourth time this year.
MAS issues guidelines on internet banking
SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore has called on banks to address the rising danger of new threats to Internet banking, including attacks by hackers.
Speech by Ernst Welteke of the Bundesbank, 6 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The International Financial Architecture' Welteke said any future form of cooperation in the field of financial sector supervision should make use of central banks' know-how in banking supervision and financial markets. All…