Market Infrastructure

India: State Bank Merger Plan Takes Effect on 1 April

31/03/2020

A plan to merge ten state-run banks into four takes effect from 1 April, in a move that will help consolidate their national presence and extend their global reach.

Capital / Liquidity

ECB Calls on Banks to Suspend Dividends, Buybacks for Six Months

30/03/2020

Rabobank, ING, ABN Amro, UniCredit, Commerzbank, Banco Santander, KBC Bank, Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland have suspended dividend and buyback plans until 1 October.

AML / KYC

RBNZ, FMA Offer AML/CFT Guidance During Covid-19 Lockdown

30/03/2020

Under Alert Level 4, reporting entities have the discretion to not necessarily sight certain documents for ongoing CDD and account monitoring.

Capital / Liquidity

HKMA Defers Basel III, Reviews ECL Provisioning Expectations

30/03/2020

Aside from deferring Basel III adoption, the HKMA is considering the implications of Covid-19 on the application of expected credit loss provisioning.

Market Infrastructure

MAS Eases SGD Policy Amid Negative Growth Expectations

30/03/2020

MAS projects the ongoing wave of Covid-19 outbreaks will continue to dampen global growth beyond the first half of the year.

Big Picture

Central Banks Must Target Global Supply Chains: Carstens

30/03/2020

Central banks need to channel their US dollar liquidity towards preventing global supply chains from unravelling, says BIS general manager Agustín Carstens.

Capital / Liquidity

S. Korea to Adopt Basel III Credit Risk Framework Early

30/03/2020

Lower risk sensitivity on SME loans under the Basel III credit risk framework will raise capital adequacy ratios at banks, allowing them to provide additional funding to businesses.

Market Infrastructure

BOK to Provide Banks $12b in USD Funding This Week

30/03/2020

The move is expected to help stabilise US dollar funding markets,  after the BOK signed a $60bn currency swap agreement with the US Federal Reserve earlier this month.

Capital / Liquidity

Malaysia: BNM Enhances Financing Facilities for SMEs

30/03/2020

BNM is allocating an additional 4 billion ringgit to its financing facilities for SMEs and lowering interest rates to help them sustain their operations and preserve jobs.