The Eurosystem has a clearly defined objective, enshrined in the Treaty, to preserve price stability in the euro area.[1] The Treaty does not speak of eligible counterparties, collateral haircuts or issue share limits for bond purchases. However, you would be mistaken in assuming that managing financial risks has no role in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy implementation – especially in the light of the significant balance sheet expansion over the past few years. On the contrary, we have applied the guiding principles of our financial risk management framework in a stable manner. We established these principles long before we embarked on non-conventional policies, not least because we have a statutory obligation to lend only against adequate collateral. We continue to apply them to standard as well as non-standard policy measures.
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In 2018 the new GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation) will take act. GDPR enhances the protection of individuals with regard to processing and moving of personal data. This causes organizations to review and adjust their operational processes, which is often seen as a hurdle. But if you approach these regulatory changes regarding GDPR not as necessities, but rather as opportunities, they will lead to significant benefits for your business.
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The conference coincides with the tenth anniversary of the start of the global financial crisis in the summer of 2007. The crisis shook the European Union to the core, and required substantial policy actions to stabilise the economy and the financial system. With a return to stability having been achieved, it is important that we take time to reflect on what we have learnt, what we have achieved over the past ten years, and where we need to do further work.
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Overnight benchmark interest rates are important for financial markets and monetary policy implementation. ECB overnight rate will complement existing benchmark rates produced by the private sector and serve as a backstop to private sector benchmark rates. The preparations for rate to be finalised before 2020, including industry consultation.
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The recent FCA enforcement trends, especially in the context of wholesale markets and, given the work of the AFME, the way in which MIFID 2 is already influencing the trend line.
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Something here Low inflation despite a stronger economic outlook helped push markets up in recent months and reduced the expected pace of tightening of monetary policy in major economies. Signs of increased risk-taking have become apparent in a number of areas, including narrow credit spreads, increased carry trade activity and looser bond covenants. Continue reading…

Human Inference, the European market leader in Data Quality and Data Management Software, announced that it has become part of a newly integrated company, which will operate under the name Quadient®.
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Are you using operational risk management (ORM) as an organizational imperative? Effective management of operational risks will increase C-suite visibility and encourage more informed risk taking. Integrating ORM strategy, tools, and processes into your organizational goals will lead to improved product performance, greater brand recognition, and deliver sustainable financial results.
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed its final decision to make a Market Investigation Reference (MIR) to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in relation to investment consultancy and fiduciary management services.  This is the first time that the FCA has made such a reference to the CMA.
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The term ICO refers to a digital way of raising funds from the public using a virtual currency, also known as cryptocurrency. An ICO can also be known as ‘token sale’ or ‘coin sale’. ICO issuers accept a cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or Ether, in exchange for a proprietary ‘coin’ or ‘token’ that is related to a specific firm or project. ICOs vary widely in design. The digital token issued may represent a share in a firm, a prepayment voucher for future services or in some cases offer no discernible value at all. Often ICO projects are in a very early stage of development.
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