Regulation
Greenspan sets out defence of free markets
US - Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve chairman, speaking on Wednesday levelled one of his most aggressive defences yet of free markets, while warning that the prospect of additional terrorist acts threatened to reduce trade and its economic benefits.
Thai central bank set to streamline four units
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand is restructuring its four organisational units: the financial institutions policy group, monetary policy group, fund operations (Financial Institutions Development Fund) and the office of the governor.
Speech by Anthony Santomero of Philadelphia Fed
SPEECH - Remarks before the Canadian Association for Business Economics Toronto, Canada, presented by President Santomero of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, 15 October.
Speech by Joseph Yam, Chief Executive of the HKMA
SPEECH - Speech by Joseph Yam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority at the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers Lunch Talk 24 October.
House likely to delay BI deputy governors decision
INDONESIA - The House of Representatives is likely to delay the appointment of three new Bank Indonesia deputy governors, as legislators will start a month-long recess on Wednesday.
RBI protests against faulty telephone directory
INDIA - The Patna unit of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has charged the Patna Telephones of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) with neglecting complaints of telephone consumers, in general, and the RBI, in particular, with regard to errors found…
Georgia's cen bank staff want right to carry arms
GEORGIA - Members of Parliament of Georgia are discussing an issue of allowing some employees of the National Bank of Georgia to carry firearms.
Speech by Alan Greenspan of the Federal Reserve
SPEECH - Remarks by Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board Alan Greenspan at the American Bankers Association's Virtual Annual Convention (taped statement) 23 October.
Research from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank
RESEARCH - The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has published research on the supervisory process in the September 2001 edition of The region, its regular quarterly publication.
Top Singapore civil brass in reshuffle
SINGAPORE - The chiefs of Singapore's central bank and trade ministry announced their resignation yesterday, paving the way for their likely entry into politics.
Shadow Group tells Fed to end rate cuts
US - In studying the Federal Reserve for six decades, Anna Schwartz has witnessed some of the Fed's most aggressive interest rate reductions, such as those after the Korean War, before Richard Nixon's re-election and during Ronald Reagan's second year of…
Koh Yong Guan to be new MAS managing director
SINGAPORE - Mr Koh Yong Guan, Permanent Secretary for National Development Ministry, will take over from Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore from Monday.
Japan Yanagisawa: Ratios to weather NPL write-offs
JAPAN - Japan's top financial regulator Hakuo Yangisawa said Monday banks will likely be able to keep their capital adequacy ratios above 8% even if they write off their non-performing loans.
BI won't freeze bin Laden's assets
INDONESIA - Bank Indonesia has refused to freeze financial assets linked to Osama bin Laden as demanded by the U.S. government, according to Antara news agency.
Regulators seek more data about credit derivatives
US - U.S. bank regulators, saying the notional amount of credit derivatives at banks has increased more than sixfold since 1997, from $55 billion to $352 billion, are proposing new reporting requirements on credit derivatives.
FSA 'self-critical' of role in Equitable
UK - An internal investigation by the Financial Services Authority has sharply criticised its own role in the Equitable Life debacle.
Fed nominees pledge inflation fight, help growth
US - Two candidates for the Federal Reserve board, Susan Bies and Mark Olson, Wednesday gave their support to the U.S. central bank's dual mandate of fighting inflation and pursuing steady economic growth.
Fed eases rules on foreign banks, US branches
US - Almost four years after it was first proposed, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved easing rules on activities of branches of U.S. banks abroad and for U.S.-based branches of foreign financial institutions.
Economic leaders choose Ottawa
CANADA - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have confirmed that their delayed annual meetings will now be held in Ottawa on 17-18 November.
Gambia struggles with economic reform
GAMBIA - Presidential elections this week in the Gambia will push the small West African nation into the international limelight.
ECB's Hamalainen urges speedier market integration
IRELAND - European Central Bank board member Sirkka Hamalainen has urged euro zone countries to speed up the integration of financial markets and help the implementation of monetary policy in the 12-member currency bloc.
Ministers clear way on money laundering laws
EUROPE - European Union finance ministers on Tuesday 16 October cleared the way for a long-sought agreement on tougher money-laundering laws that could be used to fight terrorism.
International finance meetings back on agenda
UK - The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are finalising plans to call meetings of their powerful policy-making committees within two months. The meetings were postponed after the 11 September attacks.
World's most unusual central bank
AFGHANISTAN - This is no ordinary central bank. The currency reserves of the Northern Alliance - large wads of Afghani notes that arrive from neighbouring Tajikistan - are kept in a broom cupboard in a mud-walled hut in the dusty Afghan town of Khoja…