Central banks/Foreign exchange
Robert Stheeman
The head of the UK's Debt Management Office, the body responsible for administering the wave of recent government issuance, tells Sarfraz Thind that the recent failed auction doesn't spell a death of demand for gilts
Fed in $287bn currency swap with central banks
Four central banks, including the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE), have agreed further reciprocal foreign currency swap arrangements with the Federal Reserve to provide more US dollar funds to firms in participating nations as…
Phoenix rises into green markets
Interdealer broker expands in to renewables and emissions markets to harness sector growth, and plans to act as a counterparty for RECs
G-20 creates Financial Stability Board from FSF; frees up $1.1 trillion for IMF
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G20 fires starting gun on global systemic risk regime
A declaration by the Group of 20 leading economies (G20) fleshed out plans for a global regime of systemic risk regulation, “covering regulated banks, shadow banks and private pools of capital to limit the build-up of systemic risk”.
SEC official hopes G-20 will establish “broad parameters” for regulation
Ethiopis Tafara, director of the Office of International Affairs at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), expects the Group of 20 to establish a broad framework for regulation of financial markets over the next two days.
Green shoots
Conference Report: Spain
"Substantial increase" in European corporates hedging exposure to CEE
The depreciation of currencies in central and eastern Europe (CEE) has led to a wave of western European companies hedging their forex exposure to the region.
US Fed and Treasury clarify financial stability responsibilities
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Geithner to announce illiquid asset repurchase programme
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Market frustrated by lack of detail on US toxic-asset purchase plan
Economists and analysts have criticised the US Treasury's updated toxic-asset purchase plan for again failing to provide the granular detail or specified launch date necessary to reassure capital markets the proposals will indeed help curb the global…
Iosco joins call for offshore crackdown
The International Organisation of Securities Commissions (Iosco) has joined calls for new capital rules to enforce transparency on offshore financial centres.
FSA plans new capital formula for banks
The UK Financial Services Authority (FSA)'s chairman Adair Turner has outlined proposed new capital rules for UK banks, which would see minimum capital levels determined based on balance sheet growth or full-cycle loan book risk.
Fed increases security purchase plans
In an effort to resuscitate private credit markets, the Federal Open Markets Committee stated today that it would purchase up to $300 billion in long-term US Treasury securities over the next six months.
G-20 ministers agree expansion of international financial organisations
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G20 calls for stronger IMF
A strengthened and expanded International Monetary Fund (IMF) is at the heart of the plan to soften the recession and repair the global financial system announced by G20 members over the weekend.
FCStone disposes of loss-making energy account
FCStone Group, an integrated commodity risk management firm, expects losses of $110m from an unnamed customer's energy trading account, which it disposed of this week.
UBS admits Sfr20.9 billion loss for 2008
Swiss bank UBS recorded a bigger-than-expected net loss of Sfr20.9 billion ($18.03 billion) for 2008, driven by losses and writedowns on exposures to US real estate assets.
Bernanke calls for regulatory overhaul of financial system
An overhaul of how the government regulates the financial system is required to prevent future economic crises, said US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke in a speech delivered before the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington today.
Ice launches US CDS clearing service
Atlanta-based derivatives exchange IntercontinentalExchange (Ice) launched its credit default swap (CDS) central clearing platform on March 9 after receiving the green light from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 6.
Bank of England reveals £75 billion asset purchase programme
The Bank of England plans to buy up £75 billion of assets over the next three months, including medium-term government bonds (gilts) in the secondary markets and commercial paper from the private sector.
Fed approval leaves Ice/TCC on brink of CDS clearing
Intercontinental Exchange's (Ice) application to become a member of the Federal Reserve System has been approved by the US central bank, overcoming one of the final obstacles preventing the firm from launching its central clearing platform for credit…