Central Banks
HK SFC’s Wheatley to head new UK regulator
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission’s Martin Wheatley named CEO designate of new consumer regulator; becomes head of FSA’s consumer and business wing in September
Estonia euro information campaign a success
Survey on euro adoption information campaign shows 97% of respondents were made aware of switch to single currency
UK FSA calls for more funds again
Financial Services Authority puts funding requirement up by 10%, pointing to increased cost of intensive supervision, Basel III and forthcoming split
ECB launches new statistics book
European Central Bank volume covers future of central bank statistics
ECB’s Bini Smaghi pays tribute to Padoa-Schioppa
European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi discusses the late Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa’s vision for the eurosystem
Carry-trade inflows open to vicious circles, say Shin, Plantin
Centre for Economic Policy Research study shows interaction between capital inflows and monetary policy might destabilise carry trade
UK Treasury Committee calls on FSA to disclose details of banks’ pay
UK’s Treasury Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie asks FSA chief to disclose remuneration of 'high-end' employees; says disclosure in aggregated form will protect competitiveness of financial firms
Sovereign funds set to enter an active phase: State Street’s Nugée
Sovereign wealth funds ready to tackle postponed investment decisions and portfolio changes having ridden out crisis with a passive management strategy
Budapest can muscle in on rate-setting council, but will not control policy: Simor
National Bank of Hungary governor András Simor says even if the Hungarian government gets its way on the appointment of external rate-setters, appointees will have deliver on the central bank’s goals
Ivory Coast defaults on $2.3 billion eurobond payment
Ivory Coast fails to make January 31 deadline on payment to credit holders; analyst says political situation must be addressed before payment can be made
Australia’s McKibbin could miss out on third term
Treasurer Wayne Swan suggests Reserve Bank of Australia external board member Warwick McKibbin will not be reappointed for third five-year stint
Bank of England - Asset Purchase Facility Report (Fourth Quarter 2010)
Bank of England Fourth Quarter 2010 Asset Purchase Facility Report shows Bank made first purchase in secured commercial paper
IMF paper identifies Brazilian interest rate regime switch
Fund study says Brazil’s relatively low interest rate level and lack of volatility are owing to regime changes
Central Bank of Egypt advises banks to close amid continuing protests
Some banks in Egypt close on Sunday and Monday on central bank guidance; Moody’s downgrades country on fears over political situation
EU auditors issue recommendations on ECB recruitment procedures
European Court of Auditors says European Central Bank must provide further documentation of recruitment processes; central bank responds with launch of new recruitment manual planned for end of 2011
Bank’s Weale explains thinking behind vote for hike
Bank of England external rate-setter Martin Weale says fear of higher inflation expectations becoming ingrained is real
Pakistan adopts wait-and-see tack despite high inflation
State Bank of Pakistan, buoyed by improvement in government borrowing, current account surplus, thwarts expectations of rate hike
Bank Negara Malaysia promotes three directors to assistant governor
Malaysia’s central bank appoints Donald Joshua Jaganathan, Abu Hassan Alshari bin Yahaya and Marzunisham bin Omar to assistant governor
Fed, Greenspan blamed for crisis by bulk of crisis commission
Six of ten members point finger at weak regulation and lack of awareness as to the goings-on in markets as causes of the crisis; four dissent, saying under-regulation claims overstated
RBNZ’s Bollard on international and domestic risks in 2011
Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Alan Bollard identifies key risks to New Zealand economy in 2011