Financial Stability
Recovery has lost steam and risks remain high, IMF warns
IMF's latest financial stability report strikes a cautionary note about the stalled economic recovery
BoJ: low interest rates boost bank lending
Bank of Japan Economic and Financial Developments report says bank lending showing signs of improvement
US Treasury slashes forecast for cost of Tarp
US Treasury estimates cost of government bailout at $30 billion, less than a tenth of original forecast
Brussels crafts principles for bank account access
European Commission consults on principles to ground law granting universal access to basic bank accounts; 6% of adults do not have a bank account
Anglo bailout prompts Ireland downgrade
Fitch knocks Irish debt one notch; says higher bailout cost will impair fiscal consolidation plans
IMF: Gulf bank balance sheets severely impaired by economic downturn
Fund study finds link between economic conditions in Gulf states and banks’ nonperforming loans in region
Paper problems delay release of new $100 note
Federal Reserve says sporadic creasing of paper on new banknote will setback release of new $100 bill
Swiss to make UBS and Credit Suisse pay for systemic status
Swiss commission proposal beefs up Basel III for Credit Suisse and UBS with 19% capital requirement and other measures to tackle 'too big to fail' problem
Bank of Spain's Roldán highlights Basel III flaws
Basel III’s architecture, hybrid capital and liquidity buffers among potential pitfalls; views shared by BaFin's Sanio
BaFin's Sanio: no fix for cross-border failure
Jochen Sanio says supervisors nowhere near to solving “key issue” highlighted by crisis; flags lack of communication on Lehman Brothers
González-Páramo: macroprudential policy implementation a work in progress
European Central Bank executive board member José Manuel González-Páramo says policymakers must understand full effects of macroprudential policies
Australian banks demonstrate resilience says RBA
Reserve Bank of Australia Financial Stability Review shows improvement in banking sector as bank profitability returns to pre-crisis levels
Basel II grievances stir transatlantic tensions on new accord
BNP Paribas chairman Michel Pébereau slams United States’ failure to implement Basel II across the board; says Basel III will unfairly impair Europe
Weber, Blankfein praise Basel III leverage cap
Bundesbank president Axel Weber and Goldman Sachs chairman Lloyd Blankfein laud Basel III’s inclusion of leverage ratio, as opposition mounts
ESRB big leap for Europe: Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet says launch of European Systemic Risk Board indicates significant progress in regulatory architecture
Fisher: Bank special liquidity scheme will not be extended
Bank of England executive director of markets Paul Fisher says government bond swap facility will expire in 2012
BoE: stress tests tightened credit conditions
Bank of England’s survey on credit conditions shows lenders thought the availability of funds tightened in response to European stress tests
IMF on link between collateralised borrowing and systemic risk
Fund study says rapid declines in the value of bank collateral can cause systemic risks
Meirelles flags travails of financial reform
Central Bank of Brazil governor Henrique Meirelles says reform must be unified; Chinese, Indian ambassadors note shortcomings of G20
Ireland reveals fresh Anglo Irish bailout
Central Bank of Ireland outlines new restructuring for Anglo Irish Bank, finance minister acknowledges cost of bailout prevents government from meeting deficit cuts for year
No alternative to bail-in capital: Bank's Tucker
Bank of England's Paul Tucker attacks bankers' concerns that bail-in capital will rattle investors; Sweden's Ingves says conversions achievable
Extend 'systemic importance' to countries: Brazil's Meirelles
Central Bank of Brazil governor Henrique Meirelles calls for concept of systemic importance to be extended to countries; panellists broach challenges posed by central counterparties
Belgium’s Quaden defends IMF
National Bank of Belgium governor Guy Quaden says political independence of Fund makes its surveillance meaningful
Why Brazil’s economy survived shaky markets
Central Bank of Brazil Financial Stability Report says external shocks did not hamper economic recovery in Brazil owing to sound macro fundamentals