Financial Stability
IMF paper: Costs of macro-pru policies still unclear
Policy-makers should ‘move carefully' in adopting macro-prudential tools as ‘knowledge is still limited', working paper argues
Poloz warns regulation could stifle credit to SMEs
Bank of Canada governor says new financial regulation likely to reduce the availability of credit to small companies by discouraging financial innovation
Basel Committee tightens securitisation standards despite bank protests
Final standards for securitisations impose tougher capital requirements despite banks’ complaints that the rules are ‘punitive’; reduces reliance on external ratings
Czech banks ‘resilient’ to adverse shocks
Latest stress tests conducted by the Czech National Bank finds the country’s banking sector is ‘sufficiently resilient’ to shocks, including a ‘sizeable decline’ in economic activity
Linde fears ‘revival’ of debt sustainability concerns
Concerns about the sustainability of European sovereign debt have not disappeared and could be reactivated if the economic conditions worsen, says Linde
IMF praises Central Bank of Kuwait’s ‘proactive’ approach
Central bank is ‘proactive’ in its liquidity management and macro-prudential supervision, IMF report says; publishing more timely information on oil sector would be ‘useful’
Central bank says macro-pru tools ‘crucial’ in Turkey
With the threat of a ‘spillover from global uncertainty to inflation’ in 2015, the Central Bank of Turkey highlights the importance of macro-prudential defences
Irish research finds macro-pru tools have ‘greater impact’ on first-time buyers
Economic letter published by Central Bank of Ireland explores impact of loan-to-value and loan-to-income ratios on different groups within residential property market
Fed proposes tougher capital surcharges on biggest banks
US central bank aims to go beyond Basel framework on loss-absorbing requirements for GSIBs; Failure to comply would lead to restrictions on dividends and bonuses
Rohde mulls higher capital requirements if Denmark stays out of bank union
Danish governor wants country to join the European banking union in 2015; banks have lower capital buffers than counterparts in other non-member countries
Central Bank of Ireland urges households to spend 2.5bn copper coins on Christmas shopping
Bank warns local shops are running out of coins as people consign them to ‘jars and piggy banks'; says small change ‘better being spent or given to charity'
BIS paper spots correlations in capital control effects
Study of emerging market capital controls finds bonds flow into other regional countries if one loosens its controls, but the effect is weak when countries tighten
Bank of Mexico sells dollars to stop peso decline
Bank of Mexico will buy up to $200 million worth of pesos a day, after a currency depreciation that it fears could boost inflation and push the central bank into an interest rate hike
Euro Retail Payments Board warns of fragmented market for 'instant payments'
Stakeholder group sets up working streams on 'person-to-person' and contactless euro payments; chair Yves Mersch stresses importance of instant clearing services
Central banks should consider financial stability when setting monetary policy, finds BoJ paper
Discussion paper published by the Bank of Japan argues the risk-taking channel of monetary policy has ‘become more important’ as financial intermediation has moved to markets
UK's FCA unveils reshuffle amid criticism
Conduct supervisor admits supervisory model for small firms has been "under strain" as three directors quit; critical report due to be published this week
National Bank of Ukraine to overhaul payments system
National Bank of Ukraine is upgrading its payments system with a view to widening its use; it is also exploring the use of mobile applications in making payments
Active FX intervention could have long-term costs, says Bank of Mexico deputy
Central bank policies to manage capital flows ‘may have resulted in short-term benefits’ but their costs in terms of market distortions ‘may be high’
Bank for International Settlements sees danger lurking beneath exuberant markets
Recent rapid 'flip-flopping' by markets from risk-on to risk-off and back reveals fragility hidden beneath buoyant asset prices, and central bank interventions may make the problem worse
BIS quarterly review warns even high quality securitisations carry risks
Quarterly review article says even simple, transparent and high-quality securitisations create uncertainty, making estimating risks tricky, especially in mezzanine tranches
Basel Committee: US and EU capital rules still falling short
Basel Committee’s second assessment of compliance with Basel framework finds both EU and US are not complying in all areas, but both argue deviations are justified
Sweden's central bank and macro-prudential regulator clash over leverage ratio
Riksbank calls for stricter and earlier implementation of Basel III measure a day after Financial Supervisory Authority rejects proposals
BoE’s Bailey considers relevance of macro-prudential tools in insurance sector
Deputy governor says there is a ‘good argument’ for a macro-prudential response to a situation where insurers are liquidating their assets on a pro-cyclical basis
Iceland introduces foreign currency funding rule based on Basel Committee's NSFR
Measure is intended to limit extent to which banks fund long-term lending in foreign currencies with unstable short-term funding; Three-year NSFR could be introduced in 2015