Eurozone
BOE payments review finds scope for cost cutting
Bank of England review on real-time payment and settlements systems shows significant opportunities for cost savings
ECB’s Bini Smaghi: Greece cannot default
ECB’s Lorenzo Bini Smaghi says an orderly default is simply not an option to solving Greece’s fiscal burden
China denies reviewing eurozone bond holdings
State Administration of Foreign Exchange dismisses reports that it is appraising euro asset holdings; follows surge in T-bill purchases last week
Bank's Posen on western economies turning Japanese
Bank of England rate-setter Adam Posen discusses relevance of Japan's deflationary experience to western economies today
ECB buys another €10 billion in government debt
Analysts split on whether second round of purchases with German ban on naked short spooks European markets
Spanish CDS spread jumps as four banks announce merger
Four regional savings banks announce merger after one ailing lender was seized and placed into administration by the central bank on Saturday; move plays into investor fear that banking sector is unsteady
Foreign holdings of US Treasuries fall for second straight week
Data show holdings of US Treasuries by foreign central banks with accounts at the Federal Reserve declined for a second successive week; use of swap lines lower than expected
Riksbank’s Persson: don’t shoot CDS ‘messenger’
The Swedish central bank uses CDS spreads as an indicator of financial stability
Berlin hastily bans naked CDS, short-selling
Supervisor places temporary ban on naked credit default swaps, eurozone bond short sales, citing market volatility; analysts say uncoordinated move is further sign of fragmentation within eurozone
Ten issues for regulators to consider
René Smits devises ten key issues that European financial legislators must consider when constructing the post-crisis regulatory framework
Emerging Europe keen on euro despite Greek debt woe
Central and Eastern European countries remain drawn to the single currency despite Greek troubles
SARB points to pitfalls of exchange rate rigidity
South African Reserve Bank keeps rates flat as inflation outlook remains steady, advisor says exchange rates an important policy tool
Finnish housing rebound larger than neighbours'
Finnish central bank report shows housing market was boosted by low interest rates but remains well below its pre-crisis peak
Czech fury at ECB negative capital view
Czech central bank objects to ECB's denigration of negative capital in its Convergence Report
ECB will not sell eurozone bonds: Stark
European Central Bank rate-setter Jürgen Stark says eurozone bonds will be held to maturity, rebuts suggestion that central bank was leant on by governments to buy debt
Estonia poised for euro entry, exports lead recovery
Bank of Estonia sees output helped by export upswing the day before Brussels decides on euro accession
Europe gambles to save currency union
Markets surge as European Central Bank changes course and commits to buying government bonds, move comes as eurozone and IMF unveil trillion-dollar support package
Sovereign troubles will drag banks down: Moody's
Ratings agency says sovereign downgrades in the southern eurozone could lead to decline in banking sector, further spending cuts will exacerbate problem
Buba’s Weber chastises 'counterproductive' stalling on Greece
Bundesbank president Axel Weber calls for swift action to move forward as Standard & Poor’s downgrades Spain in further sign that Greek crisis is spilling over to neighbouring countries
Trichet to rally German support for Greek bailout
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet expected to urge German lawmakers to stop dragging their feet over the Greek bailout, markets suffer as uncertainty persists
Initial optimism on Greek bailout may falter
Marco Annunziata, the chief economist at UniCredit, examines the reaction to, and implications of, the Greek bailout
Cross-border lending extends slump: BIS
Bank for International Settlements says international lending fell by $385 billion in last three months of 2009, figures reveal fifth consecutive quarterly drop
ECB annual report flags uncertainty over recovery
2009 report shows fiscal debt troubles weighed down on growth last year
Weber denies mooting €80 billion figure for Greek bailout
Bundesbank president Axel Weber says the figure came from previous Greek estimates