Europe
How competition policy affects banks - report
A new report from the ECB finds that as competition policy strengthens banks' share prices rise, but those of non-financial firms fall.
Trichet: no complacency on sub-prime markets
In an interview Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, said he remained cautious of the crisis of the sub-prime market in the United States.
ECB calls for new debit card schemes
The European Central Bank (ECB) would like to see the emergence of new debit card schemes to rival the dominance of Maestro.
Why Europe needs a banking charter
The authors of this IMF Working Paper argue that a full-fledged EU-level prudential regime that operates along-side national regimes - which they call a "European Banking Charter" - could harness market forces to establish a level playing field for…
Papademos on euro adoption in Malta and Cyprus
In this speech, Lucas Papademos, the vice-president of the European Central Bank, discusses the adoption of the euro in Malta and Cyprus. The two island economies will adopt the euro on 1 January 2008.
Local currency bond markets risks lower
Exposure to currency depreciation risk has declined in most emerging market economies, according to a report on "Financial stability and local bond markets" published on 9 July by the Committee on the Global Financial System.
ECB on structural reforms
The European Central Bank (ECB) has published, on 6 July, a report on "Structural Reforms in EMU and the Role of Monetary Policy: a Survey of the Literature."
Smaghi: challenges facing EU
"The EU (European Union) will be confronted with three major challenges: rapid technological change, globalisation and an ageing population," Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, member of the executive board, European Central Bank (ECB), said.
IMF: global imbalances matter to Europe
According to an IMF working paper published in June, although Europe in the aggregate is a not a major contributor to global current account imbalances, its trade and financial linkages with the rest of the world mean that it will still be affected by a…
New ECB Research Bulletin
The European Central Bank released it latest Research Bulletin on 29 June. The bulletin contains articles on the international carry trade, financial integration and capital flows in the new EU member states and productivity growth in the euro area.
Interview with Paul de Grauwe
In an interview with EurActiv, published Thursday 10 May, Paul de Grauwe warns that "ill-founded" and "dangerous" criticism of the European Central Bank by newly elected French president Nicolas Sarkozy could threaten monetary union.
Europe's central banks offloading gold
According to this article published Thursday 3 May by FMarena, with European central banks selling gold heavily recently, they might actually sell up to their quota.
ECB's Liebscher: vigilance ensures stable prices
European Central Bank vigilance will safeguard future price stability and a stable euro, ECB Governing Council member Klaus Liebscher wrote in an Austrian newspaper on Wednesday 2 May.
Failed bank rescue plan will impact on Basel II
This article from Chase Cooper, published Monday 30 April, asks whether the killing off of the Ecofin plan for rescuing failed banks will have implications for Basel II.
Sweden's berg on increased financial integration
In the speech 'Increased financial integration - future challenges' given on 19 April Svante berg of the Sveriges Riksbank said financial integration is increasing rapidly in Europe, and this will lead to better conditions for economic growth, but that…
ECB's Liebscher on exchange rates
European Central Bank governing council member Klaus Liebscher said Monday 16 April that exchange rates should reflect fundamentals.
EU's Almunia says Europe in good times
Joaquin Almunia, the European Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, said Saturday 14 April, Europe is enjoying a good recovery.
Supervisors must be professionals
According to this article by Jean Lemierre, published by The Banker, whether responsibility for banking supervision in the EU lies with national central banks or with separate agencies, it must be able to stand up to pressure.
EU agrees cross-border payment plan
EU finance ministers on Tuesday 27 March agreed a plan to make cross-border payments more efficient throughout the 27-nation bloc and set new rules to limit political interference in banking takeovers.
International finance and income convergence
The IMF Working Paper "International finance and income convergence: Europe is different" says recent studies conclude that the ongoing global financial integration may have had little or no value in advancing economic growth, especially in poor…
Macedonia's Goshev on the EFSE
In the speech 'Promotion of the European Fund for Southeast Europe - EFSE in the Republic of Macedonia' given on 1 March Petar Goshev of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia said the scope for the EFSE's policies directed towards micro and…
Report says watchdog to probe ECB settlement plan
The European Central Bank's plans to establish an integrated securities settlement system in the euro zone will be examined by the region's competition watchdog, according to a report by the FT Thursday 1 February.
BoE paper on Asia's choice of exchange rate regime
In the Bank of England Working Paper "Does Asia's choice of exchange rate regime affect Europe's exposure to US shocks?" the authors use a stylised three-country model to analyse how the transmission of US shocks to Europe might be affected by Asia's…
Financial statistics for a global economy
The European Central Bank published Proceedings of the 3rd ECB conference on statistics, held 4 and 5 May 2006, on 15 February. The series of ECB conferences on statistics has become an important forum for multidisciplinary, forward-looking exchanges of…