Central Banks
Bolivian central bank repays ‘unconstitutional’ IMF loan
Central bank says loan was illegal and threatens legal action against officials responsible
ECB profit falls by 30% in 2020
Decrease is mainly due to lower Treasury yields reducing income on dollar portfolio
SNB should adopt higher inflation target, report says
Senior economists recommend the Swiss National Bank reviews its policy strategy
New Nicaragua law may isolate local banks
Law could require domestic banks to maintain accounts of people under sanctions
Bank Indonesia resumes monetary easing
Central bank commits to further government bond purchases on the primary market
Book notes: Asset management at central banks and monetary authorities, edited by Jacob Bjorheim
This excellent book fills a critical gap existing since IMF guidelines on asset management were revised
Inflation climbs in UK and Canada
Headline figures increased year on year by 0.7% in the UK and 1% in Canada
Kenya strikes deal on $2.4 billion IMF package
“Multi-year effort” required to stabilise public finances and boost growth
People: IMF finance department director to retire
Third new board member at Colombia central bank; Nigeria appoints deposit insurance head; and more
Bank of Zambia caught between surging inflation and debt crisis
Central bank hikes policy rate as kwacha falls and fiscal spending overshoots targets
Temporary green QE might have limited effects – research
Green bond buying can cut flow of pollution but has little effect on stock – Bank of Italy paper
ECCB persuades states to relax fiscal stance
IMF supports move to deal with pandemic’s effects, warning against “drastic fiscal consolidation”
Virus impacts consumer credit more than restrictions – Fed paper
“Pandemic itself” was main driver of credit contraction in US, not lockdowns, paper finds
ESRB warns governments not to withdraw stimulus prematurely
New report highlights how support measures face trade-offs between cliff effects and debt sustainability
Green finance: new initiatives in China, Europe and Americas
Eurosystem adopts common investment principles; China pushes climate modelling; and more
BoE may diverge from EU on software as capital
PRA opens consultation after Bailey says there is no evidence software assets should count as capital
Riksbank proposes larger transfer to Swedish Treasury
Central bank would provide Skr6.8 billion to the government in 2021
Shadow banks play key role in business cycle – BoE paper
Contraction in securitisation can spill into wider credit conditions, researchers say
Paper finds little evidence of long-term scarring
Richmond Fed research finds short-term demand shocks rarely create hysteresis
Fed’s 2021 stress test includes major asset price shock
CCAR will evaluate 19 largest banks; scenario includes 55% fall in equity prices
RBI launches fresh bid to reform co-operative banks
Former deputy brought in to investigate measures to strengthen the troubled sector
The Covid crisis, central banks and the future
Crisis responses have had positive initial outcomes, but also exacerbated significant underlying challenges that raise concerns related to exit strategies and the future for central banks
French governor calls for ECB to make radical carbon shift
ECB is not sufficiently accounting for exposure to climate risk, says Villeroy de Galhau