Eurozone
Wellink throws hat into ring as ECB race continues
Netherlands Bank president Nout Wellink signals interest in top European Central Bank role; stresses anti-inflation stance, opposition to E-bonds
Bundesbank slams idea of using ESM to buy government debt
Bundesbank says using enlarged European Stability Mechanism to buy government bonds of troubled countries will place more burden on taxpayers
Eurozone pays tribute to Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa
Euro area's central bankers mourn the death of the 'euro architect'
ECB overnight lending rockets to 19-month high
Banks’ borrowing from the European Central Bank’s marginal lending facility climbs to $21 billion on Wednesday; sudden move has sparked speculation on bank troubles, analysts say
Draghi strikes familiar chord on eurozone’s future
Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi stresses importance of fiscal discipline, says monetary union is sound
Bond purchase frictions convinced Weber to drop out of ECB race
Bundesbank's Axel Weber says divergent views on ECB’s bond purchases meant he was no longer an acceptable candidate to succeed Trichet; stresses he was right to stick to his guns
Sovereign funds set to enter an active phase: State Street’s Nugée
Sovereign wealth funds ready to tackle postponed investment decisions and portfolio changes having ridden out crisis with a passive management strategy
IMF uneasy on nagging weakness of eurozone’s banks
Fund’s Global Financial Stability Report and World Economic Outlook updates show concern over insufficiency of eurozone stress tests, links between banking and sovereign risks
Estonia joins third central bank gold agreement
Bank of Estonia signs agreement limiting central bank gold sales to 400 tonnes a year up to August 2014; follows country’s entry to the eurozone
Gold could hit $1,600 in 2011, say analysts
Commentators say investor appetite for the precious metal will continue to soar as concerns over US economy, eurozone sovereign debt issues, persist
Portugal succeeds at auction but fails to sway analysts
Portugal sells $1.6 billion worth of government debt at auction, but commentators remain wary of fundamentals
Eurozone inflation climbs above 2%
First time since autumn 2008 that inflation has been above European Central Bank target
RBA minutes: rates on hold as global downside risks rise
Minutes of Reserve Bank of Australia rate-setting meeting relay concern over deteriorating situation in Europe; more positive on US, China
Fed extends temporary dollar swap lines
Dollar swap lines reopened with five central banks in May will remain in operation until August 2011, seven months past original date of expiry
Sama's Al-Jasser on the role of SMEs
Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency governor Muhammad Al-Jasser points to importance of small and medium enterprises; calls for care and development of sector
EFSF's Frankel: guarantees are "enough for the time being"
European leaders endorse EFSF model, as facility gears up for debut issuance of up to €5 billion
EU pledges to make bailout vehicle permanent
Meeting of European Union leaders concludes with a pledge to create permanent rescue fund for the eurozone
Denmark’s Bernstein cites fiscal, Basel III worries
National Bank of Denmark governor Nils Bernstein says Copenhagen must keep tight rein on debt; banks must resolve adjustable rate loan refinancing issues
QE2 hopes reflected in dollar, risk reversal trends: BIS
Bank for International Settlements’ December Quarterly Review charts effects of QE2 anticipation, eurozone sovereign debt woes, in fourth quarter
Italy’s Draghi: eurozone governments must step up
Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi looks to eurozone governments to tackle fundamental issues; stresses ECB will not dabble in fiscal arena, echoing president Jean-Claude Trichet
ECB points to securitisation, interest rate risk concerns
European Central Bank’s December Financial Stability Review stresses importance of more transparency in asset-backed securities market; highlights interest rate risk worries
ECB repos, not bond purchases best fix for debt woes: Deutsche Bank note
Deutsche Bank paper moots the use of targeted long-term repurchases to shore up peripheral bond markets, rather than more outright purchases
CDSs did not hike eurozone states’ funding costs: European Commission report
European Commission taskforce finds credit default swaps were not responsible for inflating eurozone members’ funding costs, worsening crisis
Policy centralisation key to future of Eurozone, says Goldman’s O’Neill
Success or failure of the Eurozone hinges on Germany ‘laying down the law’, according to chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management.