DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Factbox: What can the ECB do to stop the banking crisis?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Here's a look at the European Central Bank's "toolbox", which has been expanded over the past 15 years in response to the global financial crisis of 2008, the ensuing euro zone debt crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. LONG-TERM LOANSThe ECB can reactivate its Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operations (TLTRO), offering banks multi-year loans at low interest rates. Banks continued repaying their existing loans last week despite the Credit Suisse crisis. But the ECB has also been reducing this form of money printing to raise the cost of credit. Unveiled at the height of the euro zone financial crisis by then ECB President Mario Draghi, the scheme quashed speculation of a break-up of the currency bloc but never came close to being used.

The fallout from the crisis of confidence in Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) and the failure of two U.S. banks could continue to ripple through the financial system next week, the two executives separately told Reuters on Sunday. The two banks have held their own internal deliberations on how soon the European Central Bank should weigh in to highlight banks' resilience, specifically their capital and liquidity positions, the people said. The executives said that their banks and the sector are well capitalized and liquidity is strong, but they fear that the crisis of confidence will sweep up more lenders. But it stressed it was monitoring market tensions and would respond as necessary to preserve price stability and financial stability in the currency bloc. As one of 30 global systemically important banks, Credit Suisse's problems could ripple throughout the entire financial system, industry executives have said.

Credit Suisse declined to comment on the banks' actions. MARKET TROUBLES LINGERBanking stocks globally have been battered since Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, raising questions about other weaknesses in the wider financial system. A view of the Park Avenue location of the First Republic Bank, in New York City, U.S., March 10, 2023. The supervisors were told deposits were stable across the euro zone and exposure to Credit Suisse was immaterial, a source familiar with the meeting's content told Reuters. "Japan's financial system remains stable as a whole," Kishida told a news briefing.

March 17 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse and First Republic Bank shares came under renewed pressure on Friday despite multibillion-dollar support deals, while a source said European Central Bank supervisors see no contagion for euro zone banks from the turmoil. With investor confidence far from restored, analysts, investors and bankers think the loan facility has only bought Credit Suisse some time to work out what to do next. Meanwhile, U.S. regional bank shares, including PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O), also opened sharply lower, with First Republic down around 25%. But the supervisors were told deposits were stable across the euro zone and exposure to Credit Suisse was immaterial, a source familiar with the meeting's content told Reuters. The ECB pressed forward with a 50 basis-point rate hike, arguing that euro zone banks were in good shape and that if anything, higher rates should bolster their margins.

"I am very well aware of the delicacy of the situation ... but we are not yet at the finish line." Fellow hawk Simkus also told reporters in Vilnius he believed that Thursday's "was not the last rate hike". But neither policymaker made a case for a rate increase as soon as the next ECB meeting, and Kazimir said it was useless to speculate about the May 4 decision. French central bank governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said the hike reflected the ECB's inflation-fighting priorities and signalled confidence in the solidity of European banks. "There are risks to inflation on both sides, but in my view, upward risks are much greater," he said.

The rescue package came shortly after embattled Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tapped an emergency central bank loan of up to $54 billion to shore up its liquidity. The ECB supervisors saw no contagion to euro zone banks from the market turmoil, a source familiar with the content of the meeting told Reuters, adding that supervisors were told deposits remained stable across euro zone banks and exposure to Credit Suisse was immaterial. "I don't think we are in the crux of a global financial crisis. The ECB pressed forward with its 50 basis point rate hike, arguing that euro zone banks were in good shape and that if anything, higher rates should bolster their margins. Japan's finance ministry, financial regulator and central bank said they would meet on Friday to discuss developments.

March 17 (Reuters) - European Central Bank supervisors met to tackle growing cracks in the banking system on Friday after a $30 billion lifeline for U.S. lender First Republic Bank (FRC.N) eased fears of its imminent collapse. The rescue package came less than a day after Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) clinched an emergency central bank loan of up to $54 billion to shore up its liquidity. The two deals helped restore some calm to global markets, after a torrid week for banking stocks. "French and European banks are very solid," ECB policymaker and French central bank governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau, told BFM business radio. Japan's finance ministry, financial regulator and central bank said they would meet on Friday to discuss developments.

[1/2] The Credit Suisse logo adorns a sign at the entrance to their campus in Research Triangle Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, U.S., March 15, 2023. In its statement early Thursday, Credit Suisse said it is exercising its option to borrow from the Swiss National Bank up to 50 billion Swiss francs ($54 billion). They said the bank could access liquidity from the central bank if needed. Credit Suisse said it welcomed the statement of support from the Swiss National Bank and FINMA. The U.S. Treasury also said it is monitoring the situation around Credit Suisse and is in touch with global counterparts, a Treasury spokesperson said.

☆ ECB policymakers agreed on big hike only after Credit Suisse rescue - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, March 16 (Reuters) - European Central Bank policymakers only agreed on another major increase in interest rates on Thursday after Credit Suisse secured a lifeline from the Swiss central bank and financial markets stabilised, three sources told Reuters. Some called for leaving rates unchanged and to wait for financial markets to settle down, rather than raise borrowing costs for a sixth time and risk making matters worse, the sources added. But the Swiss National Bank's decision to bankroll Credit Suisse with a 50-billion-franc loan overnight helped steady financial markets and marked a turning point for going ahead with the planned rate increase, the sources said. But the sources said this was never discussed, with the discussion focussing on a 50-basis-point move or none at all. Reporting By Francesco Canepa and Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

March 15 (Reuters) - Swiss regulators pledged a liquidity lifeline to Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) in an unprecedented move by a central bank after the flagship Swiss lender's shares tumbled as much as 30% on Wednesday. They said the bank could access liquidity from the central bank if needed. Credit Suisse said it welcomed the statement of support from the Swiss National Bank and FINMA. Hoping to quell concerns, FINMA and the Swiss central bank said there were no indications of a direct risk of contagion for Swiss institutions from U.S. banking market turmoil. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022.

March 15 (Reuters) - Swiss regulators said Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) can access liquidity from the central bank if needed, racing to assuage fears around the lender after it led a rout in European bank shares on Wednesday. The U.S. Treasury is monitoring the situation around Credit Suisse and is in touch with global counterparts about it, a Treasury spokesperson said. They slid again as a crisis of confidence gripped Credit Suisse on Wednesday after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constraints. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said market turmoil has steered more money its way.

Two supervisory sources told Reuters that the European Central Bank (ECB) had contacted banks on its watch to quiz them about their exposures to Credit Suisse. The Swiss National Bank declined to comment on Switzerland's second-largest bank, after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constraints. Credit Suisse had appealed to the Swiss National Bank and Swiss financial watchdog FINMA for a public show of support, the Financial Times reported. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said market turmoil has steered more money its way.

The drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 7% fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse," said Carlo Franchini, head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan. The Swiss National Bank declined to comment on Switzerland's second-largest bank, after its largest investor said it could not provide Credit Suisse with more financial assistance because of regulatory constrains. The logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in front of an office building in Zurich, Switzerland October 26, 2022. Ralph Hamers, CEO of Credit Suisse rival UBS (UBSG.S) said it has benefited from market turmoil and seen money inflows.

March 15 (Reuters) - European bank stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, with embattled Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tumbling to a new low, on renewed investor concerns about stresses within the sector triggered by Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse. A more than 20% drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 6% plus fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse," said Carlo Franchini, head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan. BlackRock (BLK.N) Chief Executive Laurence Fink warned on Wednesday that the U.S. regional banking sector remains at risk, and predicted further high inflation and rate increases. And in an attempt to avert a similar crisis down the line, the U.S. Federal Reserve is considering tougher rules and oversight for midsize banks similar in size to SVB.

Investors had begun to doubt the ECB's commitment to another big rate hike this week after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in the U.S. sent ripples through global financial markets. The source added that formal proposals for the meeting had not yet been distributed but policymakers had seen the new quarterly projections. They were likely to push back against committing to further rate increases and say instead that any new move would depend on incoming data. The ECB can push through decisions with a simple majority though President Lagarde has been known to seek the broadest possible consensus. Investors have sharply cut their bets on further rate rises since the SVB collapse, with the deposit rate now seen peaking at 3.65% in the autumn, compared with an outlook last week of more than 4%.

Summary ECB signalled 50 bps hikeMarkets doubt its resolve and price 25 bpsFinancial turmoil seen derailing rate hike plansInflation to stay above target through 2025FRANKFURT, March 16 (Reuters) - European Central Bank policymakers are meeting on Thursday amidst turmoil in financial markets that could force it to divert from plans for another hefty interest rate hike even though inflation remains too high. Now the ECB must reconcile its inflation-fighting credibility with the need to maintain financial stability in the face of overwhelmingly imported turmoil. Complicating its task, the central bank for the 20 countries that use the euro currency has essentially already committed to a 50 basis point increase on Thursday. Money market pricing suggests that investors now see just a 30% chance of a 50 basis point increase, down from as high as 90% early on Wednesday. The peak ECB rate, also known as terminal rate, is now seen at only around 3.25%, down from 4.1% last week, an exceptional reversal in market pricing.

☆ Bundesbank convenes crisis team to assess SVB fallout
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FRANKFURT, March 13 (Reuters) - The Bundesbank convened its crisis team on Monday to assess the possible fallout of the collapse of U.S. lender Silicon Valley Bank on the local market, even as no emergency action was foreseen in Europe. U.S. authorities launched emergency measures on Sunday to shore up confidence in the banking system after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) threatened to trigger a broader financial crisis. In the euro zone decisions are made by national supervisors for smaller banks and by the European Central Bank's Single Supervisory Board for large ones. He also noted euro zone banks generally had a more conservative mix of assets than Silicon Valley Bank, which mostly lent to risky tech startups. The source saw no direct implication of the SVB collapse for euro zone banks but cautioned this could change if the fallout in the United States extended to bigger banks, raising the risk of contagion.

☆ Analysis: Wage catch-up to prolong Europe's inflation battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

"Part of the wage increase is understandable," said Jens Ulbrich, chief economist at Germany's Bundesbank. Yet the rapid wage growth underway now will hamper the European Central Bank's efforts to get inflation back to its 2% target, and possibly force it to keep interest rates high for longer. "We are taking a first step, but much more is needed to reverse the years of lopsided wage growth," Kager added. "The inflation trend, food and especially energy prices are tearing deep holes in our workers' budgets," ver.di Chairman Frank Werneke said. "The high levels of wage growth projected for 2023 and 2024 can be expected to make wages an increasingly dominant driver of underlying inflation in the euro area," Lane says.

☆ Bundesbank deputy chief picked for ECB supervision role
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, March 10 (Reuters) - Bundesbank Vice President Claudia Buch was appointed on Friday to the European Central Bank's Supervisory Board, less than one year before board chair Andrea Enria's term of office expires. The reshuffle at the German central bank comes after Wuermeling decided to leave at the end of the year to take up another job, prompting Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel to assign new board responsibilities effective April 1. The new chair of the Supervisory Board, due to take office in January, is picked by the ECB's 26-member Governing Council and will be formally appointed by the European Union Council following the approval of the European Parliament. Buch, already responsible for financial stability issues, will remain the Bundesbank's vice president. Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ECB to test banks for cyber resilience, Enria says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, March 9 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank plans to test the cyber resilience of the euro zone's top banks after a sharp rise in cyberattacks, including after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ECB supervisory chief Andrea Enria told a Lithuanian newspaper. "Next year we are launching a thematic stress test on cyber resilience, which will try to test how banks are able to respond to and recover from a successful cyberattack," Enria told Verslo žinios. "There has been a significant increase in cyberattacks," Enria said. But banks can be cut off from counterparties quickly, including through sanctions, leaving them vulnerable. Results of the test are due around the middle of 2024, Enria said.

☆ ECB survey sees moderating inflation, rising wage expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, March 7 (Reuters) - Inflation expectations among euro zone consumers dropped in January but expectations for wage growth continued to rise, adding to fears wage growth will slow efforts to control prices, a European Central Bank survey showed on Tuesday. Overall inflation is now falling relatively quickly but underlying price pressures are continuing to build, in part driven by quick nominal wage growth in services, suggesting that price growth could remain far more stubborn than the ECB now expects. ECB policymakers see nominal wage growth around 5% this year, the quickest in years, and a potential headache when setting interest rates. The bank has raised rates by 300 basis points since July and promised another 50 basis point more in March. Markets now see more than 100 basis points of hikes in subsequent meetings before the deposit rate plateaus at or just above 4%.

☆ ECB's Holzmann calls for four more 50 bps rate hikes- Handelsblatt
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, March 6 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank should raise interest rates by 50 basis points at each of its next four meetings as inflation is proving to be stubborn, Austrian central bank chief Robert Holzmann told German business daily Handelsblatt. The ECB has raised rates by 3 percentage points since July and flagged a 50 basis point increase for March. Holzmann, an outspoken conservative - or hawk in policy terms - however said that based on current trends, he would favour 50 basis point moves in March, May, June and July. "I expect it to take a very long time for inflation to come down," Holzmann was quoted on Monday as saying. The four steps advocated by Holzmann would take the deposit rate to 4.5%, well above the 4% peak rate priced in by markets, a level no other policymaker has so far advocated in public.

☆ ECB facing high core inflation in the near term, Lagarde says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, March 5 (Reuters) - Underlying inflation in the euro zone will stay high in the near term so a 50 basis point European Central Bank interest rate increase later this month is increasingly certain, ECB President Christine Lagarde told Spanish media group Vocento. Lagarde said the flagged increase is now "very very likely" but she also warned that underlying inflation, which filters out volatile food and fuel prices, could stay uncomfortably high even as the overall inflation rate drops in the coming months. "In the short term, core inflation is going to be high," Grupo Vocento quoted Lagarde as saying on Sunday. Several policymakers have warned recently that ECB rate hikes need to continue until core inflation turns around and starts falling towards the ECB's 2% target. "We must continue to take whatever measures are necessary to bring inflation back to 2%.

☆ Sticky inflation fuels some of ECB's worst fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Overall inflation eased a touch to 8.5% last month from 8.6% in January, data on Thursday showed. But nearly all the drop came from lower energy costs, while prices for most other items - including food, services and durable goods - surged again, confirming the worst fears of some ECB policymakers. A jump in underlying inflation - to 5.6% from 5.3% - reinforces already copious evidence that past price rises are filtering down into the broader economy, including via wages. "Core inflation and other measures of underlying inflation were likely to be stickier, with only limited evidence of a stabilisation so far," the ECB said in the accounts of the Feb. 1-2 meeting. "In particular, we upgrade (the rate hike view in) May from 25bp to 50bp, which takes our terminal rate forecast to 3.75% in June."

☆ Euro zone inflation eases in February but core prices surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Indeed, underlying inflation, which filters out volatile food and fuel prices, an indicator closely watched by the ECB, jumped to 5.6% from 5.3%, coming well above expectations for a steady reading. Price growth in services, the biggest component in core inflation, accelerated to 4.8% from 4.4%, a big worry since the sector is especially sensitive to wage growth and the rise suggests an acceleration in labour costs. "High wage increases could imply that especially service price inflation could remain elevated in 2023-2024," Nordea analysts said in a note. "Given that the weight of services in the headline inflation is 44% and in core inflation 62%, elevated service price inflation will keep also the aggregate level inflation high." Industrial goods inflation meanwhile picked up to 6.8% from 6.7% while unprocessed food price growth surged to 13.6% from 11.3%.

Search resuls for: "Balazs Koranyi"

25 mentions found