Investment
Singapore holds policy as economy slows
MAS says this year’s growth will continue to moderate over coming quarters
Lagarde revives pitch for euro’s international role
Single currency can become ‘true source of strength’, ECB president says
Bank of Thailand unexpectedly holds policy
Vitai Ratanakorn’s first meeting as governor results in 5–2 vote to keep rates at 1.5%
CNB joins Europe’s bank regulators to warn of crypto risks
Consumer interest driven partly by ‘aggressive’ promotion on social media, say authorities
Central Europe’s central banks hold rates
Switzerland, Czech Republic and Hungary keep policy steady
BoJ holds policy as expected and plans to sell ETF and J-Reit assets
Two board members vote for hike, but all agree on sales that economists say will help normalise policy
Norges Bank continues easing campaign with another 25bp cut
Central bank governor strikes hawkish tone, highlights increasing productivity
Stablecoins pose bigger risks to US than to EU – de Guindos
ECB vice-president also expresses hope that “populist movements in Europe do not prevail”
RBA’s Hauser expects ‘significant’ rise in pension funds’ FX hedging
Deputy governor expects Australian dollar’s “natural hedge” to remain but be less relevant to funds
Islamic finance suited for green investments – BNM governor
Abdul Rasheed says sharia-compliant vehicles offer “ready-made infrastructure for risk-sharing”
Investors pledge $510m to Singapore’s green investment fund
Central bank says venture will finance sustainable infrastructure across Asia
How much do investors really care about Fed independence?
The answer for some is more nuanced than you might think
The next step for Africa’s digital economy: fast, inclusive payments
Central banks should lead policy for a payments transformation that benefits all levels of society, argue Jean Pesme and Michael Wiegand
Norges Bank divests from Israeli firms active in Gaza
Bank terminates contracts with Israeli investment managers and brings portfolio management in-house
Thailand and China renew bilateral currency swap agreement
Central banks agree to exchange up to 70 billion Chinese yuan over five-year period
Climate risks still on the fringe of monetary policy in Asia
Notwithstanding efforts by the PBoC and BoJ, there is still a need to observe persistent and measurable impacts on inflation and output before climate change truly influences interest rate policy, argues Sayuri Shirai
BoT cuts policy rate and forecasts tariff-induced slowdown
Thai central bank cuts by 25bp at final meeting before dovish Vitai becomes governor
Foreign open-end funds threaten financial stability – BoJ study
Researchers say external crises could lead to large outflows from vehicles investing in Japan
Is this time different for Argentina?
Reserve shortage and overvalued currency cast a pall over an otherwise successful stabilisation campaign
The foundations of sovereign finance are quietly evolving
Digital settlement infrastructure is taking shape. Now SSA issuers must decide how, not whether, to participate, argues Domenico Nardelli
Book notes: Beyond banks, by Dan Awrey
The book proposes thoughtful reforms to establish the same reliability for new monetary IOUs as currently exists for bank IOUs
Taiwan asks foreign traders to improve FX compliance
Central bank says it is considering new regulations amid currency speculation concerns
Book notes: Central banking at the frontier, by Thammarak Moenjak
This well-structured book provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges digitalisation poses for finance and includes possible actions for central banks
NBFIs can boost EU’s capital markets, expert says
Sintra panellist says savings and investment union crucial to tapping non-banks’ resources