Proposed Mexican financial legislation sparks concerns

Significance The move, however, has proven controversial, generating a backlash over its potential impact on commercial banks and the central bank (Banxico), which sees it as a threat to its autonomy. The proposals come amid an unusual surge in remittances flowing into the country. Impacts Any legal change that is seen as affecting Banxico’s autonomy would damage investor confidence significantly. AMLO may stop legislation changes if they cause a depreciation of the peso. Mexico’s economy looks set to become far more reliant on remittance income than it has been in past years.

Subject Myanmar banking reform outlook. Significance Myanmar's central bank will issue additional banking licences to an undisclosed number of foreign banks in 2016, it announced on December 14. This is part of the wider effort to modernise and build the capacity of Myanmar's banking sector. Impacts Greater banking sector modernisation and liberalisation would aid domestic business sector growth. International donor support will be needed to help Myanmar's banking sector development. Banking sector reform requires the support of Myanmar's central bank personnel, and consumer and foreign investor confidence.


Significance But the ringgit has fallen by more than one-third from its peak in May 2013. Moves by Bank Negara, the central bank, to support the currency and most recently to clamp down on offshore trading have had little impact on easing the selling pressure, raising the odds on more aggressive action. Impacts Investor confidence could suffer long-term harm. A corporate repayments crisis could occur, raising the spectre of possible credit downgrades. The prime minister's position could be in jeopardy if incomes are affected.


Significance Driven by the currency run that saw a depreciation of 24.1% in just three weeks, the government has begun talks with the IMF in a bid to restore investor confidence. The peso run ended on May 15 owing to a combined operation by the Central Bank and the Finance Ministry: the Central Bank put a floor under the exchange rate by offering 5 billion dollars at 25 pesos to the dollar while the Finance Ministry reopened its tender of Treasury bonds to attract foreign investors. Impacts The sharp peso depreciation will boost inflation; workers will demand a reopening of wage negotiations. Falling real incomes will undermine economic recovery. Investors will demand more policy coordination and coherent fiscal and monetary policies. IMF funds will ease medium-term default fears, but fiscal tightening will be required to lower dependence on foreign finance.


Significance The Vollgeld (sovereign money) proposal, which claimed to make the banking system safer by preventing commercial banks creating money through requiring thems to keep 100% of their deposits at the central bank, was complex and economically flawed, However, it attracted anti-system and anti-bank votes and has generated debate in Switzerland and abroad on financial stability and monetary systems. Impacts The Vollgeld idea has never been implemented anywhere, posing uncertainty about economic agents' reactions and the overall impact. The reform, if used to finance budget deficits, would challenge the central bank's independence. Even if the proposal is refined, the power that 'Vollgeld' would give the central bank to determine lending will remain unpopular. Pressure for banking reform and awareness of regulation have risen worldwide since the 2008-09 crisis making other initiatives likely.


Significance Recent high-profile incidents have called into question the viability of the business model in large parts of Latvia’s banking sector. In February, the US Treasury accused ABLV Bank of laundering money for North Korea. Separately, Ilmars Rimsevics, governor of the Bank of Latvia (the central bank), was accused by a Latvian commercial bank of demanding bribes and taken into custody by the Bureau for Preventing and Combating Corruption (KNAB). Impacts Latvia’s reputation has suffered from the latest revelations and accusations of money laundering and corruption. There will be greater pressure on the Latvian authorities to be stricter on commercial banks whose main business is with non-residents. When this source of revenue dries up, some banks’ business models may have to change, also sparking some consolidation in the sector.


Subject The political and economic outlook for Papua New Guinea. Significance Papua New Guinea (PNG) is due for its five-yearly national elections in mid-2017 and the outcome now appears much less certain than a year ago in the face of growing economic and political challenges. PNG’s central bank has effectively started printing money by purchasing government bonds not bought by the private sector. This foreshadows longer-term problems but will help hide PNG’s underlying cash crisis. Impacts A collapse in domestic revenues points to a severe economic contraction. The 2017 budget proposes a path to smaller deficits by 2021, but suffers from major errors and unrealistic assumptions. The central bank’s printing of money and suppression of the IMF report will damage international investor confidence.


Significance Cetinkaya is an apparent compromise between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The MPC cut the overnight lending rate by 50 basis points to 10%, leaving other rates unchanged. Financial markets welcomed the decision in the hope that Cetinkaya would avoid more radical rate cuts that could make the lira plummet and further endanger inflation targets. Impacts Policy rate cuts will have little impact on growth given other risks and factors, particularly external financial and economic conditions. No serious effort will be made to reduce inflation to 5%, until and unless this becomes a government priority. Given better dialogue between government and TCMB, blame for high interest rates may fall increasingly on commercial banks.


Significance Moscow is looking to its ruble bonds rather than global markets or sovereign reserves for funding its fiscal needs, so will view possible sanctions on domestic debt with particular concern. Impacts A sudden withdrawal of non-residents from the bond market would lead to ruble depreciation, its scale dependent on the nature of sanctions. If sanctions are imposed, the central bank will help commercial banks ramp up bond purchases to stabilise the market. As domestic interest rates continue rising, public borrowing could exert a more pronounced crowding-out effect. Rapidly rising inflation will push up debt yields and increase the probability of further key rate rises by July.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Omar Jaara ◽  
Abdelrahim M. Kadomi

Purpose This paper aims to investigate Jordan’s framework specifics of the anti-money laundering (AML) policy and factors related to the Central Bank instructions on money laundering. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire has been distributed to a random data sample of 100 branch bank managers and supervisors who have a sufficient experience in this issue, and a t-test statistical technique has been used. Findings The results revealed that commercial banks of Jordan are committed to the instruction of the central bank, and they are highly qualified in all investigated measures. Practical implications This study supports the Central Bank of Jordan’s efforts in combating money laundering, which encourage all commercial banks of one country to follow the same adopted regulations to identify and report transactions of suspicious behaviour: investigate capability of the tellers and customer account representatives to report such activities, use AML software, filter customer’s data classify available information according to levels of suspicion or based on the uncertain customers without being subject to the institutional secrecy jurisdiction and to work under cooperative management. Originality/value It has been recommended to utilize more advanced technology, intensify training and ensure for more knowing clients’ knowledge. The importance of this paper is to insure the following: first, the banking system is obliged to recognize and report suspicious money laundering transactions, regarding up to date the FATFA equivalence status of other countries; second, increase the awareness and ensure the central bank efforts’ success; third, assure the adequacy of different issues such as the internal control system tools; devices or tools availability; and sufficient employees’ qualifications in facing launderers attempts; fourth, to be sure that suspected transactions are checked against any commercial bank records; finally, to be sure that commercial banks are giving enough considerations to all the AML proactive actions such as the regulations of checking while opening an account, accepting money on deposit, giving loans, issuing a debit card, traveller’s check and collecting enough information about new clients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamshaid Anwar Chattha ◽  
Simon Archer

Purpose This paper aims to provide a methodology for designing and conducting solvency stress tests, under the standardised approach as per IFSB-15, including the establishment of macro-financial links, running scenarios with variation of assumptions and stress scenario parameters; apply and illustrate this methodology by providing a stylised numerical example through a tractable Excel-based framework, through which Islamic Commercial Banks (ICBs) can introduce additional regulatory requirements and show that they would remain in compliance with all capital requirements after a moderate to severe shock; and identify the potential remedial actions that can be envisaged by an ICB. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the data of the one of the groups to which certain amendments and related assumptions are applied to develop a stylised numerical example for solvency stress-testing purposes. The example uses a Stress Testing Matrix (STeM; a step-by-step approach) to illustrate the stress-testing process. The methodology of the paper uses a two-stage process. The first stage consists of calculating the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of the ICB using the IFSB formulae, depending on how the profit sharing investment account (PSIA) are treated in the respective jurisdiction. The second stage is the application of the stress scenarios and shocks. Findings Taking into account the specificities of ICBs such as their use of PSIA, the results highlighted the sensitivity of the CAR of an ICB with respect to the changes in the values of alpha and the proportion of unrestricted PSIA on the funding side. The simulation also indicated that an ICB operating above the minimum CAR could be vulnerable to shocks of various degrees of gravity, thus bringing the CAR below the minimum regulatory requirement and necessitating appropriate remedial actions. Practical implications The paper highlights various implications and relationships arising out of stress testing for ICBs, including the vulnerability of an ICB under defined scenarios, demanding appropriate immediate remedial actions on future capital resources and capital needs. The findings of the paper provide a preliminary discussion on developing a comprehensive toolkit for the ICBs similar to what is developed by the International Monetary Fund Financial Sector Assessment Programme. Originality/value This paper focuses on the gap with respect to the stress testing of capital adequacy. The main contribution of the paper is twofold. The first is the development of an STeM – a step-by-step approach, which provides a method for simulating solvency (i.e. capital adequacy) stress tests for ICBs; the second is the demonstration of the potentially crucial impact of profit-sharing investment accounts and the way they are managed by ICBs (notably the smoothing of profit payouts) in assessing the capital adequacy of the ICBs.


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