Asia
Mauritius governor defends central bank’s funding of government
“Unprecedented times” require “unprecedented set of measures” including $1.5bn funding of government, says Harvesh Seegolam
Lower-income countries generate highest reserves growth
Most reserves portfolios appear to have weathered the Covid-19 crisis well
Few central banks consider climate risk within benchmarks
Despite central banks supporting mandatory climate risk disclosures, very few account for it in their benchmarks
Asian reserves proved more resilient in Covid crisis – reserve managers
Limited use of Fed’s ‘Fima’ facility highlights improved reserve management, says panellist
Central Banking’s strategic changes for a new era
New institute, benchmarks, virtual training and online event weeks launched
Asia tops rankings for reserves coverage ratios
Asia leads across three main metrics, but the region may be moderating its holdings
Many Paris Agreement signatories do not use ESG screens
Most reserve managers fail to take environmental factors into account for FX portfolios
MAS ramps up liquidity support
Financial sector will have increased access to Singapore and US dollar funding
Chinese state-run bank launches, then disables, digital yuan wallet
PBoC’s digital yuan wallet was briefly available via China Construction Bank’s mobile app
Book notes: Quest for restoring financial stability in India, by Viral Acharya
A definitive contribution to the political economy of central banking in emerging economies, but Acharya does not acknowledge the challenges moving forward
Japan’s economy needs bolder policies
PM Abe announces decision to step down with many goals still unachieved
Official institutions lead the Covid‑19 recovery charge
Tested by the Covid-19 pandemic, market consensus is that official institutions have been instrumental in mitigating market disruption. As economies work out how to adapt to a post-lockdown world, major public bodies are likely to play a key role in the…
Indonesia eyes netting changes to enable derivatives CCP
Central bank says legal amendments will pave way for locally cleared NDFs and interest rate swaps
Covid-19: a watershed moment for China’s BRI?
China faces a delicate balancing act when it comes to forgiving and restructuring Belt and Road Initiative debt while preserving the soundness of its financial institutions
World Bank grants Vietnam $6.2 million Covid-19 aid
Central bank deputy says support is ‘meaningful and necessary’ as virus returns to country
BIS’s Hong Kong innovation hub launches trade finance competition
Solutions need to help current trade finance platforms communicate with one another, and help SMEs and emerging markets take advantage of existing opportunities
Headline inflation to stray into negative territory, Bank of Thailand reports
Sharp decline in oil prices and government measures push forecast for headline inflation to -1.7%
Philippines central bank links up with debt trading platform
Move comes as central bank buys government bonds and prepares to issue own debt
Singapore and China to deepen collaboration on green finance
MAS chief proposes working together in areas including loan syndication and verification
Bank of Thailand to build trial CBDC payment network
Project will see cement company using blockchain network to process suppliers’ payments
Trends in reserve management: 2020 survey results
Covid-19 expected to dent the risk appetite of central bank portfolio managers; socially responsible investing gains ground
Central bank museums grapple with lockdown
Money museums moved online to keep communicating during Covid-19 lockdown; some now plan to reopen for a limited number of visitors
Central banking enters a new era
Central banks face a delicate balancing act to preserve their reputations as they evolve into ‘buyers of last resort’ and some of their actions appear functionally equivalent to ‘monetary financing’
The complex art of reserve management
The coronavirus lockdown represents another inflection point for central banks seeking to optimise the management of their $12 trillion in FX reserves