Central Banks
Sri Lanka releases customer protection charter for banks
Central Bank of Sri Lanka issues direction on customer protection in licensed banks; covers banks' commitments to customers and ways customers must also behave to ensure safe banking practices
Kenya’s Ndung’u calls for policies to stimulate competition
Central Bank of Kenya governor Njuguna Ndung’u says increased transparency and growth can be achieved through policies promoting competition and financial innovation
Riksbank narrows banknote design contest
Swedish central bank selects eight finalists out of 46 entrants to go on to final stage of krona banknote design competition; winner to be announced next April
ECB celebrates Italian culture
European central bank announces 2011 cultural days will focus on Italian culture; events include classical and jazz music concerts, film screenings, literary and art events
BoE injects £75 billion to save stalling economy
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee votes for further round of quantitative easing; increases size of asset purchase programme to £275 billion
Trichet bows out with new bond purchase scheme
Jean-Claude Trichet unveils a new covered bond purchase scheme; ECB governing council also agree to hold interest rates and support Jörg Asmussen for governing council post
EU considers deeper sanctions against Syrian central bank
European Union considers further financial sanctions against Syria amid continued repression of Syrian people; EU foreign affairs committee to discuss on Monday
Latin America reverses positions with advanced economies: IMF’s Eyzaguirre
Director of the IMF’s Western Hemisphere department says advanced economies have 'pneumonia', while Latin America only has 'a cold'; situation reversed from in the past
Central banker takes over as Labuan Financial Services Authority director
Encik Ahmad Hizzad bin Baharuddin takes over as head of the Labuan FSA; leaves role as director of Bank Negara Malaysia's Islamic banking and takaful department
ECB paper identifies rate-setting heterogeneity among policymakers
European Central Bank study finds differences in interest rate voting patterns within three monetary policy-setting committees
IMF paper measures longevity of housing cycles
Fund study examines the dynamics of housing market cycles and the length of boom-and-bust periods
Dissenter votes to hike rates on inflationary fears: Iceland minutes
Central Bank of Iceland Monetary Policy Committee minutes says one member voted to increase interest rates despite uncertainty in global economy
Bank of Israel reviews lessons learnt from crisis
Bank of Israel report looks at evidence from recent financial crisis and how policymakers can be more prepared in future
EU plans coordinated action to recapitalise banks
European Commissioner Olli Rehn says capital positions of European banks must be reinforced; calls for comprehensive strategy to restore confidence in Europe
US watchdog highlights discrepancies in Fed emergency programmes
US Government Accountability Office says Fed on occasions failed to properly document processes and decisions during crisis; says opportunities exist to strengthen risk management practices
ECB’s Constâncio stresses commitment to T2S settlement platform
First ever Europe-wide platform for settlement of bonds and equities trades has ECB’s full support; will play a crucial role in future of the single market, says Vítor Constâncio
SEC report reveals failings at top three rating agencies
A report released by the US SEC reveals S&P, Moody's and Fitch all still have significant failings in their operations
Peruvian president reappoints governor and chooses new board members
Julio Velarde retains governorship of the Central Bank of Peru; three university professors designated as board members
Fed liquidity helped US escape Great Recession: NY Fed paper
New York Federal Reserve study says Fed liquidity policies helped economy avert another Great Depression
Globalisation creates monetary policy challenges for EMEs: BIS report
Bank for International Settlements report says emerging market monetary policies are becoming much more complex due to integrated global financial system
Buba’s Dombret opposes EU Tobin tax
Bundesbank executive board member Andreas Dombret warns financial transaction tax could overburden financial institutions
EU lawmakers agree on Stability and Growth Pact overhaul
Enhanced Stability and Growth Pact gets approval of European Council and Parliament; European finance ministers clear Asmussen for ECB executive board
Poland moves to halt zloty decline
National Bank of Poland intervenes in foreign exchange markets for third consecutive week to curb depreciation of zloty; Central Bank of Brazil also acts to smooth flow of real against dollar