Banking

BLOOMBERG The Bank of Canada (BoC) is limited in how much its interest rate increases can lag behind those of the Federal Reserve, with the gap threatening to weaken its currency and fuel inflation, according to an economist at Bank of Nova Scotia. Canada’s central bank was able to tighten less than the Fed in previous cycles when core inflation ...

BLOOMBERG One of the pioneers of European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy has a stark warning for officials about the threat of more inflation bearing down on the region’s economy. Otmar Issing, the former Bundesbanker who became the first chief economist of the Frankfurt-based institution in 1998, reckons further consumer-price pressures may already be in the pipeline. “I expect that ...

BLOOMBERG Two Federal Reserve policymakers cautioned that recent stronger-than-expected readings on the US economy could push them to raise interest rates by more than previously expected. In remarks, Governor Christopher Waller said that if payroll and inflation data cool after hot prints in January, “then I would endorse raising the target range for the federal funds rate a couple more ...

BLOOMBERG European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Pierre Wunsch said market bets for interest rates to reach a 4% peak may prove accurate if underlying price pressures remain elevated. How far borrowing costs must rise “depends very much on the evolution of core inflation,” the Belgian central bank chief said, referring to the measure of consumer-price growth that strips ...

BLOOMBERG Bitcoin dropped to the lowest level in about two weeks, part of a wider retreat in crypto markets as investors digested the unraveling of a key industry payments network. The largest token by market value sank as much as 6% before paring some of the slide to trade 4.6% lower at $22,347 in New York. Smaller coins such as ...

BLOOMBERG Nationwide Building Society and HSBC Holdings Plc toughened limits on retail customers’ access to cryptoassets, becoming the latest UK banks to impose curbs after industry scandals and regulatory warnings. Nationwide is applying daily limits of £5,000 ($5,965) on debit-card purchases of cryptoassets, the building society informed customers, while its credit cards can no longer be used to buy crypto. ...

BLOOMBERG Toronto-Dominion (TD) Bank’s focus on retail banking in Canada and the US paid off last quarter as rising interest rates made lending to consumers more profitable. Still, concerns about its loan-loss provisions and delays to a major deal weighed on the stock. The bank’s US business saw its net interest margin — the difference between what it earns on ...

BLOOMBERG The Treasury Department will lead a new senior-level working group that will soon start regular talks on the possible launch of a digital dollar. The group will include “leaders” from the Treasury, Federal Reserve, National Security Council and other agencies, Nellie Liang, Treasury undersecretary for domestic finance, said. In the coming months the group “will begin to meet regularly ...

BLOOMBERG Metro Bank Plc plans to open 11 new branches in the north of England from next year in a bid to grow its customer base, while keeping the costs “significantly” lower than its previous outlets. The new branches, which Metro calls “stores,” will have less surplus floor space and more cost-effective fixtures and fittings but still retain the “distinctive ...

BLOOMBERG Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) reported a surge in its trading businesses that helped fiscal first-quarter earnings top analysts’ estimates. Revenue from RBC Capital Markets — the largest capital-markets division among Canada’s banks — rose 4.3% to C$3.12 billion ($2.3 billion) in the three months through January, Royal Bank said. That beat analysts’ C$2.35 billion average estimate. National Bank ...