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☆ Andy Sieg is quickly shaking up Citi's wealth business. At least 11 senior execs have left since his arrival.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Citi's wealth unit has seen at least 11 senior execs exit since Merrill Lynch veteran Sieg joined in September. The latest departure is David Bailin, chief investment officer for the global wealth division, who announced his departure on Monday. Sieg's mandate is to turn around the wealth business, which was barely profitable this past quarter. Sieg also plans to expand Citi's already successful wealth business in Asia. At least two other senior Asia executives have left.

Persons: Andy Sieg, Merrill Lynch, Sieg, David Bailin, Bailin, Fraser, Andy, Mark Mason, Shyam Sambamurthy, Merril Lynch, Don Plaus, Hale Behzadi, Citi David, Eduardo Martinez Campos, Keith Lee Hong, Fernando Lopez Munoz, Luigi Pigorni, Jeff Sutton, Eduardo, Seamus Yin, Hayley Cuccinello Organizations: Citi, Business, Bankers, Citi Wealth, Citi Global Wealth, North America, Eduardo Martinez Campos Head, Mark, Mark Mills Regional, Fernando Lopez Munoz Head, Jeff Sutton Global, Eduardo Ventura, West Locations: Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Keith Lee Hong Kong, Mark Mills, Shyam Sambamurthy South Asia, America, West China, hcuccinello@businessinsider.com

☆ 2024 is the year of the rate cut pivot — here's when the world's central banks will budge
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

EIU also expects the Bank of Japan will exit its negative interest rate policy in the second quarter. Markets currently expect the Fed to start with a 25-basis-point rate cut in June. Euro zoneThe European Central Bank last week also held its policy rate at a record high of 4%, signaling that it won't cut rates before June. JPMorgan said in a research note that the Turkish central bank may cut its policy rate in November and December, keeping its year-end policy rate forecast of 45%. IndonesiaIndonesia's central bank kept its benchmark policy rate at 6% in its recent meeting.

Persons: EIU, Jerome Powell, LSEG, Nomura, Perry Warjiyo, CNBC's JP Ong, BOK, Goldman Sachs, Goohoon Kwon, Kwon Organizations: Getty, Economist Intelligence Unit, Bank of Japan, United, United States U.S, Federal, Fed, European Central Bank, ECB, Swiss National Bank, UBS, Bank of Canada, Bank of, JPMorgan, Reserve Bank of, ANZ, New Zealand Auckland Savings Bank, Bank, Bank Indonesia, BMI, Fitch Solutions, U.S, Oxford Economics, Macquarie Locations: Czech, China, Japan, United States, Switzerland Swiss, Bank of Canada, Turkey, Turkish, Reserve Bank of Australia, New, Indonesia, South Korea, Asia

☆ Bank of Korea will be one of the first Asian central banks to cut rates, says Goldman Sachs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBank of Korea will be one of the first Asian central banks to cut rates, says Goldman SachsGoohoon Kwon, senior Asia economist at Goldman Sachs, says that's partly because of "the ongoing disinflation trend."

Persons: Goldman Sachs Goohoon Kwon, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Email Bank Locations: Korea, Asia

☆ Bangladesh opposition vows to continue protests despite 'autocratic' crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) join in a rally at Naya Paltan area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 28, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDHAKA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Bangladesh’s main opposition party said on Wednesday it would continue its anti-government protests despite what a rights group called an "autocratic crackdown" ahead of a general election in January. At least four people, including a policeman, have been killed and hundreds injured in violent protests across the country in the past few weeks, police said. In order to end this misrule and lawlessness, the ongoing movement must be accelerated and the victory of the people must be ensured,” senior BNP official Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said. “Diplomatic partners should make clear that the government’s autocratic crackdown will jeopardise future economic cooperation,” the rights group said in a statement quoting Bleckner.

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Sheikh Hasina, ” Abdul Moyeen Khan, ”, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Hasina, “, League’s, Julia Bleckner, Khaleda Zia, Ruma Paul, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP, REUTERS, Rights DHAKA, Reuters, Police, Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch, “, Thomson Locations: Naya Paltan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asia

☆ Opinion: The strange story of how I became a character in a North Korean novel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Opinion Mike Chinoy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

She is preparing to make a reporting trip to North Korea in 2009 and is wrestling with conflicting emotions. In fact, this character named “Michael Chinoy” is me — making me one of a very small number of real-life Americans who appear with a speaking part in any North Korean novels. I also met the late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, grandfather of current dictator Kim Jong Un, three times. Former CNN International Editor Eason Jordan stands behind North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and US President Jimmy Carter in Pyongyang in 1994. Although published more than a quarter century ago, “Eternal Life” only became available on North Korea websites in the past decade.

Persons: Mike Chinoy, Kim Ryong Yon, Byun Sa, hwang, Mike Chinoy Mike Chinoy, “ Michael Chinoy ”, Meredith Shaw, Shaw, “, “ Michael Chinoy, “ Michael, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il, Mitch Farkas, Billy Graham, Ruth, Graham, Eason Jordan, Sun Myung, Moon, Kim Il, Kim, ”, Eason, Jimmy Carter, Jordan, Jimmy Carter’s, Carter, Clinton, Song Sang Won, Baek Bo Heum, Ah, “ I’ve, “ Mr, ” Jordan, “ Thunderclap, Paek Bo Hum, Sang, Will Ripley, Byun, hyang, Michael Chinoy, — it’s Organizations: University of Southern, China Institute, CNN, American Journalists, North Korean Writers ’ Union, Korean American CNN, University of Tokyo Institute of Social Science, DPRK, North, Leader, CNN International, Unification, North Koreans, Former CNN International Locations: University of Southern California’s US, Beijing, Asia, China, People’s Republic, Korean American, North Korea, Korea, American, North, Korean, “, insignificance, Russia, Pyongyang, North Koreans, Let’s, gaslighting

☆ UBS inherits tricky wealth legacy in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - UBS (UBSG.S) CEO Sergio Ermotti is facing an Asian wealth bonanza after acquiring Credit Suisse, which has been particularly strong in Indonesia and neighbouring countries. Tidjane Thiam, who ran Credit Suisse from 2015 to 2020, placed a big bet on the region by creating g a standalone Asian unit led by Indonesian banker Helman Sitohang. Former UBS CEO Ralph Hamers said in March that in Asia, more than anywhere globally, the interplay between wealth management and investment banking was important to lure clients. That working combination helped Credit Suisse regularly top equity capital markets and M&A league tables in Southeast Asian markets. UBS regional chief Edmund Koh told an industry event in July that the Swiss bank will manage about $800 billion of assets in Asia this year, Asia Private Banker reported.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Tidjane Thiam, Helman Sitohang, Ralph Hamers, Edmund Koh, Ermotti, Francesco De Ferrari, Benjamin Cavalli, Lisa Jucca, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, UBS, Credit Suisse, Suisse, Credit Suisse’s, Credit, Asia, Banker, HSBC, HK, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Indonesia, Swiss, Asia

While an ISM survey offered a tough assessment of U.S. manufacturing conditions, so-called hard data suggest the sector is shuffling along. Federal Reserve data in June showed factory production rebounded in the second quarter, ending two straight quarterly declines. Meanwhile, U.S. construction spending increased solidly last month and May's data was revised higher, boosted by outlays in both single and multifamily housing projects, the Commerce Department said. China's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) missed analysts forecasts and showed the first decline in activity since April. Money markets now see a 60% probability that the Bank of England will hike rates by 25 basis points on Thursday.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Steven Ricchiuto, Carlos Casanova, Kit Juckes, Sterling, Herbert Lash, Joice Alves, Ankur Banerjee, Alex Richardson, Hugh Lawson, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Federal, outlays, Commerce Department, Labor, Survey, Labor Department, Mizuho Securities USA, Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of Japan, U.S, Natixis Investment, P Global, European Central Bank, ECB, Societe Generale, Bank of, Thomson Locations: Asia, Hong Kong, U.S, Bank of England, London, Singapore

☆ Aussie set for biggest one-day drop since March, yen at 3-week low
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Aussie fell 1.4% to $0.6626, wiping out the 0.87% gains it clocked in July and set for its sharpest daily drop since March. "I think it was right that the RBA held today, given trimmed mean inflation and unemployment matched the RBA's forecasts. China's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) missed analysts forecasts and showed the first decline in activity since April. The euro eased 0.2% to $1.0975, not too far from an almost three-week low touched on Friday. Money markets now see a 60% probability that the Bank of England will hike rates by 25 basis points on Thursday.

Persons: David Gray, Matt Simpson, Carlos Casanova, Kit Juckes, Sterling, Joice Alves, Ankur Banerjee, Alex Richardson, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Australian, Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of Japan's, City, Federal, P Global, European Central Bank, ECB, Societe Generale, Bank of, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, China, Asia, Hong Kong, U.S, Bank of England, London, Singapore

☆ Yen eases to 3-week low as traders weigh BOJ shift; focus on RBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"As the new line in the sand is 1%, it would make sense to broaden the YCC band by this level." Investor attention during Asian hours will be on the policy decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia. "However, we expect any post RBA strength in Aussie to be short lived given the weak global economic outlook." Bank of England's policy meeting on Thursday is in the spotlight, with markets evenly divided between a 25- and 50-basis-point increase. Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Carlos Casanova, Kristina Clifton, CBA's Clifton, Sterling, Ankur Banerjee, Muralikumar Organizations: of Japan's, Reserve Bank of, Reserve Bank of Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Survey, Bank of, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Hong Kong, U.S, Singapore

☆ Yen eases to 3-week low as traders weigh BOJ shift, focus on RBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The yen slipped to a fresh three-week low on Tuesday as traders pondered the Bank of Japan's steps last week to tweak its yield curve control policy, while the Australian dollar was soft ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy decision. "As the new line in the sand is 1%, it would make sense to broaden the YCC band by this level." Investor attention during Asian hours will be on the policy decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia. "However, we expect any post RBA strength in Aussie to be short lived given the weak global economic outlook." Bank of England's policy meeting on Thursday is in the spotlight, with markets evenly divided between a 25- and 50-basis-point increase.

Persons: Carlos Casanova, Kristina Clifton, CBA's Clifton Organizations: of Japan's, Reserve Bank of, Reserve Bank of Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Survey, Bank of Locations: Asia, Hong Kong, U.S

☆ Opinion: The time North Korea entrapped an 85-year-old American tourist
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Opinion Mike Chinoy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —In October 2013, an 85-year-old American tourist, Korean War veteran Merrill Newman, was taken off his Air Koryo plane as he waited to leave Pyongyang after a week-long tourist trip to North Korea and detained. No one — his family, the State Department, the media — had any idea why, and the North Koreans initially said nothing. North Korea has so far said nothing about the incident, which comes amid a spike in tensions between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul. American tourist and Korean War veteran Merrill Newman arrives at Beijing airport on December 7, 2013, after being released by North Korea. Over the decades, a handful of serving American soldiers have defected and been allowed to live in North Korea.

Persons: Mike Chinoy, Read, CNN —, Merrill Newman, —, Mike Chinoy Mike Chinoy, Newman, Travis King, darted, ” —, “, ” Newman, ”, “ I’ll, …, Mike Chinoy “, ‘, ’, It’s, Merrill Newman “ I’d, They’ve, Karl, Olof Andersson, Merrill, Andersson, Kim Jong, ” Merrill Newman, Lee Organizations: University of Southern, China Institute, Beijing Bureau, Senior Asia, CNN, Koryo, State Department, North, Communist Korean, Palo, Joint Security Area, Kyodo, DPRK, Korean People’s, Socialist DPRK, ”, Korean, North Koreans, Koreans, Twitter, Facebook Locations: University of Southern California’s US, Beijing, North Korea, Pyongyang, Kuwol, Korean, Palo Alto California, North, South Korea, Korea, Washington, Seoul, American, Korean People’s Army, DPRK, USA, North Koreans, Merrill, North Korea's, KCNA, North Korean, Swedish

☆ BOK to hold base rate at 3.50% on Thursday, rate cut call pushed to 2024, Reuters poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Anant Chandak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummaryCompanies BOK to hold base rate at 3.50% at July 13 meetingBENGALURU, July 11 (Reuters) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) will keep its key policy rate unchanged at 3.50% on Thursday and for the rest of the year as inflation continued to ease, a Reuters poll of economists predicted, but rate cut forecasts were pushed back by a quarter to early 2024. Median forecasts showed interest rates would remain on hold until the end of this year, followed by a 25 basis-point cut in the first quarter of 2024. In a May poll the quarter percentage-point cut was expected to come by end-2023. But a rate cut will depend on how quickly inflation falls. The survey also predicted South Korea's economy would grow 1.2% this year and 2.3% in 2024, the same as the previous survey.

Persons: BOK, Irene Cheung, Anant Chandak, Devayani Sathyan, Susobhan Sarkar, Jonathan Cable, Hari Kishan, Jan Harvey Organizations: Bank of Korea, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Reuters, ANZ, U.S . Fed, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, South Korea, Asia

It is not the end of our relationship with the IMF though, as the SBA is a short-term bridging operation. GARETH LEATHER, SENIOR ASIA ECONOMIST AT CAPITAL ECONOMICS, LONDON"The agreement of a loan deal between Pakistan and the IMF should put the economy back on a more secure footing and limit the biggest downside risks. There is a strong risk that Pakistan reneges on the deal once the immediate crisis has passed. Our target shall be that the next IMF programme should be the last one and it would be a great opportunity to correct our fiscal account once and for all." "Things would have been much better if successive governments would have invested in completing the IMF programme.

Persons: MURTAZA SYED, GARETH, Shehbaz Sharif, ABDUL ALEEM, SHERANI, SHAHBAZ ASHRAF, MAHA RAHMAN, ZAFAR MASUD, MUSTAFA PASHA, SHAHID HABIB, ARIF HABIB, ZULQARNAIN, MOHAMMED SOHAIL, AHFAZ MUSTAFA, ISMAIL IQBAL, SAJID AMIN JAVED, Ariba Shahid, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Monetary Fund, South, IMF, BANK OF PAKISTAN, SBA, State Bank, EFF, Capital, UL HAQ, OF PUNJAB, Pakistan, ARIF, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, ASIA, KARACHI, ISLAMABAD, LAHORE, PAKISTAN

☆ China doesn't really care who wins the war in Ukraine — it just wants to win the peace, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

There's little doubt that China wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end, and soon. Political analysts and China watchers note that, ultimately, Beijing doesn't really care who "wins" the war — or what form a peace deal takes. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via phone line, in Kyiv on April 26, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Any peace will be hard-wonNo-one is underestimating the challenges any would-be peace broker has before them.

☆ U.S. and China wage war beneath the waves – over internet cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +28 min

Three of China’s state-owned carriers – China Telecommunications Corporation (China Telecom), China Mobile Limited and China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd (China Unicom) – had committed funding as members of the consortium, which also included U.S.-based Microsoft Corp and French telecom firm Orange SA, according to six people involved in the deal. China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and Orange did not respond to requests for comment. China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom were resolutely behind HMN Tech, which had come in with a bid of around $500 million. China Telecom and China Mobile threatened to walk off the project, taking tens of millions of dollars of investment with them. Among them is China Telecom, which had previously won authorization to provide services in the United States.

☆ Japanese investors turn net buyers of overseas bonds in January
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

According to data from Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japanese investors purchased a net 1.56 trillion yen ($11.79 billion)worth of foreign bonds in January, marking their biggest buying spree since September 2021. Prashant Newnaha, senior Asia-Pacific rates strategist at TD Securities, said Japanese buyers were likely buying foreign bonds on an unhedged basis. "Buying FX-hedged foreign bonds makes little sense given Japanese government bonds are a more attractive option," he said. The data showed that in the first week of February, Japanese investors bought 1.1 trillion yen worth of overseas bonds. Meanwhile, domestic investors also poured 1.67 trillion yen into foreign equities in January in a second straight month of net buying.

☆ Thai c.bank to raise rates 25 bps, tourism to bolster growth: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Devayani Sathyan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Unlike its neighbours in Malaysia and Indonesia, The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is expected to keep tightening policy for awhile longer. Twenty-one of 23 economists polled by Reuters expected the BOT to raise its benchmark one-day repurchase rate (THCBIR=ECI) by 25 basis points (bps) to 1.50% on Jan. 25. This gives the BOT room to continue hiking rates, to continue anchoring inflation expectations." The poll median showed the central bank would then raise borrowing costs by another 25 bps, taking it to 2.00% by end-September. "The combination of improving growth prospects and still-elevated inflation gives the central bank room to continue reducing policy accommodation."

☆ Bank Negara Malaysia set to hike for fourth time in a row on Nov. 3 - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Shaloo Shrivastava | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) started raising rates in May even though inflation was within its target range of 2%-3%. It has since hiked rates by 75 basis points to keep inflation in check. All but two of 27 economists in the Oct. 25-31 poll predicted BNM would hike its overnight policy rate by 25 basis points to 2.75% from 2.50% at its Nov. 3 meeting. While 13 of 18 penciled in a 25 basis point hike in Q1, three said 50 basis points. The median forecast showed the overnight policy rate would remain at 3.00% until at least the end of next year.

☆ The Japanese yen is at 24-year lows. Here's what to expect at the next BOJ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Japanese yen is hovering close to its weakest levels since 1998, and authorities have hinted at taking action to stem the currency's decline. The widening rate differential has caused the yen to weaken significantly, with the Japanese currency falling about 25% year-to-date. Loading chart...Last week, the Bank of Japan reportedly conducted a foreign exchange "check," according to Japanese newspaper Nikkei – a move largely seen as preparing for formal intervention. watch nowStrategists at Goldman Sachs also don't see the central bank shifting from its yield curve control policy, pointing to its hawkish global peers. End of AbenomicsMonetary policy changes by Japanese authorities as unlikely, chances being especially low under BOJ governor Harukiho Kuroda, UBS Chief economist for Japan Masamichi Adachi told CNBC last week.

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