World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist
Search, personalize, or simply browse. Follow the world around you from gist and context to insights.
Who we are | Our Credo | Ways of using Lyrarc | FAQ | Send Feedback | First Letter From the Editor
Sign up. It's free and easy to use
Create an account
to personalize your feed of articles and topics.
All Topics Article
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
Keywords:
Floyd Norris says the announcement by the ECB on Dec. 20, 2011, that 523 banks borrowed 489 billion euros under the newly created Long Term Financing Operation goes a long way towards giving Europe time to address the debt crisis. A major problem is recapitalization of European banks and the ECB's action helps address this problem. This is one of the achievements of the December summit of European leaders, though it was not the way markets had expected. Markets were focussed on large scale bond buying by the European Central Bank or issuance of euro bonds. ECB head, Mario Draghi, aware of widespread opposition in Germany to such proposals made it clear this was not going to happen. The Long Term Financing Operation of the ECB provides unlimited amounts of loans to European banks at 1% for 3 years, and accepts sovereign government debt as well as other types of securities as collateral. The result of this action was to lower the yield on a recent Spanish bond auction to 1.7% for three month bills from 5.1% the prior month. Spanish and Italian banks can now buy government debt of their countries and use the bonds as collateral at the ECB for three year loans at 1%. This Norris estimates will generate profits of about 37 billion euros for European banks from the difference between the ECB rate of 1% and the rate on two year bonds of Spain and Italy of 3.6% and 5.1% respectively for the bond purchases of 489 billion euros- calculated on a spread of 2.5 percentage points over three years. Another infusion of funds from the ECB will occur in February 2012. The new capital infusion gives European banks less reason to reduce lending in the eurozone as they work to meet the higher capital reserve requirements set under new Basel III rules. This is especially important given the austerity measures being implemented across the eurozone countries and Britain to reduce government deficits, and in light of the lower growth expected as a result.
The ECB's Long Term Financing Operation Dec. 2011- March 2012
11/10/2011
The ECB's newly created Long Term Financing Operation enables European banks to meet their financing needs by borrowing from the European Central Bank at low rates of 1% for three years. Mid size banks in Spain buy government bonds of Spain and use the bonds as collateral at the ECB to access this lowcost funding. This has helped bring down rates at a recent auction of Spain's bonds from 5.1% to 1.7%. Italian banks also participated in the same way. 523 European banks borrowed 489 billion euros on Dec. 21, 2011, under this newly created financing operation of the ECB. This provides European banks financing as they are shutoff from normal financing by selling unsecured bonds to private and institutional lenders. This helps banks in the eurozone meet financial needs in 2012 without reducing lending to businesses and consumers.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
E.C.B. Plots Strategy for Staving Off Deflation
New York Times 05/26/2014
Euro-Zone Banks Tap Big ECB Loans
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
Staring Into the ECB's Mini Bazooka
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
European Banks Rush to Grasp Lifeline
Wall Street Journal 12/22/2011
European Central Bank policies in 2010-2012.
02/05/2008
The ECB rate changes and policy in 2010-2012.
Grouped Articles
ECB Moves Markets, Not Economy
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Shares Rise on Wall Street and in Europe
New York Times 06/06/2012
Europe’s Central Banker Engineers His Economics
New York Times 02/05/2008
2 Major European Banks Keep Record-Low Rates
New York Times 11/04/2010
ECB Seeks Funds for Capital Base
Wall Street Journal 12/17/2010
Rate Rise Signaled for Euro Zone
Wall Street Journal 03/04/2011
Italy's Mario Draghi, as the new president of the ECB
04/20/2011
Grouped Articles
ECB Moves Markets, Not Economy
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Bonds of Italy, Spain Narrow Gap With U.S., German Yields
Wall Street Journal 04/09/2014
Italian Gains Support in Central Bank Race
Wall Street Journal 04/20/2011
Paris Backs Italy's Draghi as Europe's Central Banker
Wall Street Journal 04/27/2011
German Paper Finds Draghi Not So Bad After All
New York Times 04/29/2011
Trichet to Leave a Difficult Legacy at Central Bank
New York Times 05/31/2011
The ECB and Italy
11/09/2011
Grouped Articles
Don't Bank on ECB Rescuing Italy
Wall Street Journal 11/09/2011
Italy Fears Rattle World's Investors
Wall Street Journal 11/10/2011
Central Bankerâs Exit Gives France Opening
New York Times 11/10/2011
Crisis Ensnares Central Bank in Desperate Bid to Save Euro
Wall Street Journal 11/18/2011
European Bank Chief Pushes Back
Wall Street Journal 11/19/2011
New York Times 11/19/2011
The U.S. Fed's crisis dollar-lending program with the ECB and the central banks of U.K. , Canada, Japan and Switzerland in 2011
06/29/2011
Extension of the dollar-lending program beyond August 2, 2011 by the Fed as the eurozone faces the crisis in Greece.
Grouped Articles
Fed Extends Lending Program for Central Banks
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2011
Central Banks Run Short of Policy Options
Wall Street Journal 08/04/2011
Swaps Will Get Dollars Into European Banks' Hands
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2011
Close Ties Facilitated Coordinated Moves
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2011
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2011
6 Central Banks Act to Buy Time in Europe Crisis
New York Times 11/30/2011
The urgency for recapitalization of European banks in 2011-2015
07/13/2011
EU banks face potential losses of 300 billion euros from troubled EU countries. 120 billion euros from Italy, Spain and Belgium, 60 billion euros from Greece, 20 billion euros from Ireland and Portugal, and $100 billion euros from other banking exposure, accordig to the IMF. IMF managing director, Christine Lagarde, has pointed to the urgent need for recapitalization of European banks,urgently because restricted lending by EU banks in the absence of recapitalization could further damage the economies of EU countries.
Grouped Articles
Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Bank of Italy Inspecting Top Lenders' Books
Wall Street Journal 07/30/2013
Central Bank Details Somber State of Europe’s Banking System
New York Times 10/13/2014
Wall Street Journal 07/04/2015
The Banker Who Is No Longer Welcome in Restaurants
Wall Street Journal 01/27/2016
Italy Agrees on Fund to Support Battered Lenders
Wall Street Journal 04/12/2016
Financial crisis in the Baltic countries and the impact on Sweden.
10/10/2008
Swedish banks have made loans in the Baltic countries amounting to about 20% of Sweden's GDP. It cosuld cost Sweden about 2 to 6% of GDP to recapitalize and rescue its banks.
Grouped Articles
Estonia’s Let-It-Be Economy Is Rattled by Worldwide Distress
New York Times 10/10/2008
Economist 12/18/2008
Euro Tumbles on Concern Over Exposure to Eastern Europe
Wall Street Journal 02/17/2009
Latvia's Government Is the Latest in Europe to Fail
Wall Street Journal 02/21/2009
Economist 02/19/2009
As It Falters, Eastern Europe Raises Risks
New York Times 02/24/2009
Italy's banks 2010-2016
06/25/2011
Grouped Articles
Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Bank of Italy Inspecting Top Lenders' Books
Wall Street Journal 07/30/2013
Wall Street Journal 10/10/2013
Italian Banks' Woes Hurt Small Firms
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2013
Italian Banks are the Weakest Performers in E.C.B. Review
New York Times 10/26/2014
The Banker Who Is No Longer Welcome in Restaurants
Wall Street Journal 01/27/2016
Spain's banks
07/09/2010
Grouped Articles
Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Spain's banks: Two cheers, three tiers
Economist 10/02/2010
Spain's Bankia Returns to Profit
Wall Street Journal 02/04/2014
Loan Growth Suffers at Spanish Banks
Wall Street Journal 11/13/2015
Spain to Approve Cajas Regulatory Overhaul
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2010
Crisis Awaits Worldâs Banks as Trillions Come Due
New York Times 07/11/2010
Spain's central bank
10/20/2011
Bank of Spain governors Ordonez under the Zapatero administration and the new Bank of Spain Governor Linde under the Rajoy administration.
Grouped Articles
Criticism of Spainâs Central Bank Grows
New York Times 10/20/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
The Real Threat Facing Spanish Lenders
BusinessWeek 11/23/2011
Spain Readies New Push to Shore Up Banks
Wall Street Journal 05/08/2012
Spanish Central Bank Chief to Leave Early as Crisis Gathers
New York Times 05/29/2012
Spanish Officials Hailed Banks as the Crisis Built
New York Times 06/26/2012
ECB Financial Stability Review 2011-2013
12/19/2011
Grouped Articles
Central Bankers Hone Tools to Pop Bubbles
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2013
E.C.B. Warns of Dangers Ahead for Euro Zone Economy
New York Times 12/19/2011
Euro-Zone Banks Tap Big ECB Loans
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
Staring Into the ECB's Mini Bazooka
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
Germany, France Back Pledge to Save Euro
Wall Street Journal 07/28/2012
Innovative ways to recapitalize banks and reduce government debt in Italy in 2012
07/13/2011
Italian banks exchange Italian government bonds for government properties, which they lease back to the government. The banks use the properties as collateral for loans from the ECB, and Italy's government retires the bonds and reduces the debt load. This is part of new legislation passed in the Italian parliament under Mario Monti in Dec. 2011.
Grouped Articles
Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Italy Central Banker Is Open to 'Bad Bank'
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2014
Italy Agrees on Fund to Support Battered Lenders
Wall Street Journal 04/12/2016
Just Don't Call It a 'Bailout'
Wall Street Journal 12/20/2011
Euro-Zone Banks Tap Big ECB Loans
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
Staring Into the ECB's Mini Bazooka
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
Mario Draghi, head of the ECB, and the eurozone crisis with Italian bond yields approaching 8% in Dec. 2011
11/10/2011
Draghi addresses the issue of large scale purchases of bonds of Italy and Spain to ease pressure on bond yields, by leaving open the possibility of action if the EU countries take the necessary steps for a strict budgetary framework.
Grouped Articles
Return of Long-Term Bond Buyers Seen as Crucial to Europe
New York Times 06/29/2012
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
Europe Bonds May Offer More Value
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
Euro Strengthens as Fears Fade
Wall Street Journal 01/12/2013
Bonds of Italy, Spain Narrow Gap With U.S., German Yields
Wall Street Journal 04/09/2014
As Bond Markets Twist, Investors Shout
Wall Street Journal 06/10/2014
The EU Summit, December 9, 2011
12/09/2011
The German position not to allow large scale bond buying by the ECB remained unchanged. The focus continued on getting debt brakes and fiscal discipline rules set for the eurozone members. The ECB's Mario Draghi opposes central banks of Europe sending money to the IMF which would be used to support EU countries with debt problems. The ECB lowered interest rates by 0.25% for the eurozone, bringing interest rates to 1%, and reversing earlier ECB policies under Trichet that increased rates. In addition the ECB will provide unlimited funding to European commercial banks for longer maturities of 3 years, instead of the current 1 year maturity.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 12/09/2011
British Prime Minister Cameron’s veto of E.U. pact splinters his coalition - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/11/2011
Legal Uncertainty Imperils EU Agreement
Wall Street Journal 12/14/2011
Leaders Grow Further Apart on Solutions
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
The Euro Zone's Double Failure
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
Euro Treaty to Require Only 9 Nations for Ratification
New York Times 12/16/2011
Europe's Banks.
07/09/2010
Issues of European banks, including recapitalization.
Grouped Articles
Europe's Elusive Stash of Cash
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2010
Crisis Awaits Worldâs Banks as Trillions Come Due
New York Times 07/11/2010
European banks: The last idealists
Economist 12/11/2010
French Banks Warned on Their Greek Debt
Wall Street Journal 06/16/2011
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
U.S. Bank Stocks Fall on Anxiety About Europe
New York Times 08/18/2011
Why government fiscal discipline alone will not establish a sound financial framework for the Euro currency- the example of Spain
03/03/2010
Spain kept its deficits below the 3% mandated under EU treaties, till recently. Asset bubbles sustained because of bad lending by a country's banks and easy acess to credit from outside the country, are two problems not addressed by tighter budget controls in the revised rules being set after the Dec. 9 EU Summit. Spain's debt problem is to recapitalize these failing banks and debt of regional governments. Spain relied too much on a construction boom for growth, with productivity stalled. Ireland improved competitiveness and attracted foreign investment. This too unraveled in the face of an asset bubble from speculative lending by its banks.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 09/25/2011
Wall Street Journal 03/03/2010
German Optimism Depends On Spanish Deficits
Wall Street Journal 09/25/2013
Euro Zone Deficit Hits Target for First Time Since 2008
New York Times 04/23/2014
Spain's Example Shows Limits of EU Targets
Wall Street Journal 12/09/2011
The Euro Zone's Double Failure
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
Italy's bank Unicredit in the eurozone crisis
09/06/2010
Grouped Articles
UniCredit Looks to Central, Eastern Europe
Wall Street Journal 09/06/2010
Unicredit's Weak Share Offering a Poor Omen in Europe
New York Times 01/10/2012
UniCredit Posts Massive Net Loss on Loan, Acquisition Write-downs
Wall Street Journal 03/12/2014
With $21 Billion Loss, Italian Bank Signals Wider Vulnerabilities
New York Times 03/11/2014
UniCredit Says Bank Austria Dispute Could Result in More Payouts
Wall Street Journal 08/12/2014
Wall Street Journal 11/14/2011
The twin problems of lack of growth under austerity plans and overvalued currencies of Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal
06/24/2011
The twin problems of lack of growth and overvalued currencies under the solutions of austerity plans without debt reduction and a single euro currency create impossible odds for a resolution of the eurozone financial crisis. Germany's insistence on tough austerity measures, European banks delaying restructuring of bad loans similar to the U.S. Brady plan, failure of politicians in Italy and Greece to take early action, and small steps by policymakers, are compounding the effects of the eurozone crisis.
Grouped Articles
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New York Times 11/03/2013
Germany's Surplus Isn't the Problem
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2013
The 'Silent Austerity' in Banking
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2014
Italy Central Banker Is Open to 'Bad Bank'
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2014
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
Spain's Cajas savings banks
02/25/2010
Grouped Articles
Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
New York Times 05/17/2013
The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on the Cajas
BusinessWeek 02/25/2010
Economist 05/29/2010
Spain's cajas: Thinking outside the box
Economist 07/31/2010
Spain's banks: Two cheers, three tiers
Economist 10/02/2010
Spain's cleanup of bad bank assets under prime minister Rajoy in 2012-2013
09/28/2011
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/28/2011
Spain Emerges From Recession but Sees More Austerity Ahead
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Spain Weighing a Fast, Costly Cleanup of Banks
Wall Street Journal 12/07/2011
Why European Banks Are Sacrificing Growth
BusinessWeek 12/15/2011
Spain's Rajoy Takes Aim at Deficit
Wall Street Journal 12/20/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.
Support Lyrarc from as small as $1
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
