Financial Regulatory Forum

By Madeline Chambers and Emily Kaiser
BERLIN/PITTSBURGH, Sept 24 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Thursday a U.S. drive to rebalance the global economy risked distracting the Group of 20 from a more urgent need for market regulation at their Pittsburgh summit.

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By John O’Donnell

BRUSSELS, Sept 23 (Reuters) – The European Union unveiled its blueprint for an overhaul of the way banks and financial markets are policed, a central plank in new rules designed to prevent a repeat of the global economic crisis. It plans to create a banking super-watchdog, with power to overrule countries such as Britain, and a pan-European supervisor that would warn of early signs of crisis.

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BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) – The City of London is doing its best to block the introduction of stricter financial market regulations, but tougher rules will come, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said a day before a Group of 20 summit.

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By Kevin Drawbaugh
WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress’ two top legislators on financial reform stressed their points of agreement on Tuesday, despite lingering differences and a prediction from one that the reform debate may be prolonged.

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By Kevin Drawbaugh
WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate’s top legislator on financial regulation favors reducing the number of bank supervisory agencies more sharply than the Obama administration proposes, said a senior Senate aide on Sunday.

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By David Dolan and Noriyuki Hirata
TOKYO, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Japan’s new banking minister said his plan to freeze the repayment of bank loans to help debt-burdened individuals and small companies would be a positive for the banks, even as investors have fled financial stocks.

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By Darren Ennis and Jan Strupczewski
BRUSSELS, Sept 17 (Reuters) – European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to seek curbs on bankers’ bonuses at next week’s G20 summit and said they wanted evidence the recession is over before they stop spending to prop up their economies.

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   By Sophie Hardach
   PARIS, Sept 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy joined forces on Tuesday ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh, agreeing to work toward new decisions on the economy and the financial system, Sarkozy’s office said. (more…)

By Huw Jones and Anna Willard
PARIS, Sept 15 (Reuters) – Banks with low levels of capital will not be able to offer large bonuses under guidelines the G20 is set to discuss this month, the Financial Stability Board said on Tuesday.

“It’s important that firms conserve profits so they can rebuild capital and support lending,” FSB Chairman Mario Draghi told a news conference.

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   BRUSSELS, Sept 10 (Reuters) – The European Union plans to create a banking super-watchdog and give it power to overrule countries such as Britain, according to draft legislation that could come into effect next year. (more…)