Financial Stability
NBB’s Praet backs DG Competition for EU resolution authority
National Bank of Belgium’s Peter Praet says Directorate General for Competition could play credible role in resolving failed banks
Volcker dismisses prop trading criticism
Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker sweeps aside concerns that banks might not be able to differentiate between trading on their own books and on clients' behalf
Fed’s Kohn: US still vulnerable from global imbalances
Federal Reserve vice chairman Donald Kohn says fiscal restraint needed in US to level global imbalances
Fed extends streak, keeping state bank oversight
US Senate amends Dodd bill, allowing Fed to keep supervision of state banks, vote hailed by Kansas Fed chief Thomas Hoenig
Iceland firmly under IMF cover: Sighvatsson
Central Bank of Iceland deputy governor Arnór Sighvatsson warns against premature exit from IMF support
Ma signals further reforms in China's rural areas
People's Bank of China deputy governor Ma Delun outlines new financial reform in China's rural areas
Czech fury at ECB negative capital view
Czech central bank objects to ECB's denigration of negative capital in its Convergence Report
King throws weight behind new government's cuts
Bank of England governor Mervyn King says incoming coalition government's plans to cut UK expenditure by $9 billion in 2010 have eased downside risks to growth
Agency didn't follow its models on CDO ratings
A leading rating agency gave triple A ratings to CDO tranches when their own models implied downgrades
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
Regulators set out policy agenda for OTC derivatives infrastructure
CPSS and IOSCO issue consultative reports on central counterparties and trade repositories
Cracks emerge over ECB’s bond purchases
Bundesbank head and ECB leadership candidate Axel Weber criticises central bank’s entry into bond markets, analysts disagree on whether intervention justified
Fed audit clause unanimously approved for reform bill
US lawmakers vote 96-0 in favour of including controversial amendment to audit the Fed in financial sector reform bill
Norges Bank: Financial Stability Report
Norges Bank’s bi-annual Financial Stability Report shows a positive outlook for the Norwegian economy despite instability in Europe
Bank of Canada launches new commodities index
Bank of Canada replaces old fixed-weight measure with new Fisher chain index of Canada’s commodities market
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
Philly Fed's Plosser: Fed acted on contagion fear
Philadelphia Federal Reserve's Charles Plosser says swap lines were re-opened on concern over impact of eurozone debt crisis on US banks
Banks should not rely on CDS spreads for credit risk
National Bank of Belgium study highlights a number of shortfalls in policymakers’ use of CDS spreads as an indicator for bank risk
Bernanke on the success of stress testing program
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke says stress testing helped return credibility to banking sector
Canada’s Murray: commodity boom and bust avoidable
Bank of Canada deputy governor John Murray says commodity market volatility can be eased with sensible policies
Fed’s Hoenig calls for counter-cyclical leverage ratio, slams Basel requirements
Hoenig calls for change in regulatory approach to bank lending by ditching Basel II approach in favour of ceiling on leverage
Trichet plays down 'nuclear option' to end Greece crisis
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet says option for outright purchase of government bonds is not on table
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
Fed’s Rosengren: full US recovery years away
Boston Federal Reserve president Eric Rosengren identifies several challenges towards economic recovery in the United States