News/Financial Stability
BoE, ECB announce euro-sterling swap line to aid Ireland
Bank of England agrees to provide sterling in exchange for euro up to a limit of £10 billion; move aimed at helping Central Bank of Ireland
King named vice chair of European Systemic Risk Board
Bank of England governor Mervyn King named Trichet’s deputy on ESRB
Basel III won’t be a problem if implemented correctly, says Bank of England
Latest Financial Stability Report stresses importance of long transition to new rules, and concerns over central counterparty clearing
Brussels forges ahead with Sepa end-date proposal, despite differences
European Commission proposes deadlines for national credit and debit transfers to migrate to Sepa system; move could divide stakeholders
S&P lifts China rating one notch
Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s upgrades Chinese long-term rating; move follows similar step by Moody’s in November, places Chinese debt three marks short of prime rating
Islamic liquidity facility names Zeti chair
Bank Negara Malaysia’s Zeti Akhtar Aziz to chair International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation; HSBC banker chosen as chief executive
King called for global bailout in March 2008: WikiLeak
Bank of England governor told US ambassador of need for nations to cooperate in order to recapitalise banking sector
Brazil unveils first of new family of banknotes
Central Bank of Brazil releases second generation of R50 and R100 notes
Cobbold confirmed as De La Rue CEO
Tim Cobbold named banknote manufacturer’s new chief executive
Map of interbank market first step in project to forecast crises
Study to forecast the tipping points where banking crises have systemic implications begins with topology of European interbank market
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
Barnier draws UK lawmakers’ fire over new European supervisory structure
UK parliamentarians cross-examine European Commissioner for internal market regulation Michel Barnier on how much power new European supervisory authorities will have over national regulators
European banks could get slightly different version of Basel III: Basel Committee’s Wellink
Netherlands Bank governor and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision chairman Nout Wellink says “minor changes” possible to European version of Basel III
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
European Commission floats concept of investment bans in latest Mifid consultation
The European Commission has produced a consultation paper that suggests a basis for banning certain investments, with structured products making their usual appearance in the limelight
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
Electronic methods leading growth of cashless payments in the US, says Fed study
Federal Reserve study shows number of cashless payments has grown, with debit card, automated clearinghouse transactions leading the way
Britain raises bank levy
UK government publishes final bank tax law that will raise the levy on liabilities higher than initial proposals set out in June
Atlanta Fed names new second in command
Retirement of Atlanta Federal Reserve first vice-president Patrick Barron sparks reshuffle in retail payments office
Fitch kicks three more notches off Ireland
Irish sovereign debt downgraded to BBB+ by ratings agency Fitch
ECB's Constâncio heralds dawn of Seoul consensus
European Central Bank’s Vítor Constâncio says state intervention during banking crisis marked end of Washington consensus; vice president heralds dawn of Seoul consensus
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
Canada closes part of currency unit
Bank of Canada agrees to sell assets from optical security material division to banknote security supplier Fortress Optical Features