Central bank digital currencies can slash cross border payment time – BIS

HONG KONG, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) can slash the time needed for cross border payments to seconds from days and cut costs, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) said, citing a pilot scheme to test the digital forms of fiat currencies. The trial showed cross-border transactions could be made in […]

German consumer morale brightens heading into October – GfK

BERLIN, Sept 28 (Reuters) – The mood among German consumers brightened unexpectedly heading into October to reach its highest level in a year and a half, a survey showed on Tuesday, in a sign that households continue to support the recovery in Europe’s largest economy. The GfK institute said its consumer sentiment index, based on […]

Yen sinks, Aussie climbs as Evergrande contagion fears recede

TOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) – The safe-haven yen sank to its lowest in nearly three months on Monday, while the risk-sensitive Australian dollar continued to recover from an almost one-month low, as fears of widespread contagion from China Evergrande Group (3333. HK) receded. The yen also fell as higher U.S. yields attracted Japanese investor money while rising […]

Deutsche Boerse says relocation of euro clearing from London inevitable

LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Euro derivatives clearing was shifting from London to Frankfurt, showing how ending a heavy reliance on Britain after Brexit is feasible, a senior Deutsche Boerse official said on Monday. The European Union is due to decide by year-end on how to shift clearing in euro-denominated swaps to Frankfurt from the […]

Erdogan says Turkey plans to buy more Russian defense systems

WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey still intended to buy a second batch of S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, a move that could deepen a rift with NATO ally Washington and trigger new U.S. sanctions. Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to NATO’s […]

Italy’s Enel spins off new firm for digital grid services – report

ROME, Sept 23 (Reuters) – Europe’s biggest utility Enel (ENEI.MI) has set up a new company dedicated to digital grid services, which aims to have a revenue of 1.5 billion euros ($1.76 billion) by 2030, newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Wednesday. The spinoff, Gridspertise, will manage all activities related to digital meters and intelligent grid […]

Credit markets will withstand Evergrande shocks

LONDON, Sept 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) – Is China Evergrande (3333. HK) another Lehman Brothers moment? Not at all, according to the $40 trillion global corporate debt market. International credit investors have good reasons to be so nonchalant about the potential ripple effects of problems at the Chinese property behemoth with a $300 billion debt pile. Granted, Evergrande’s […]

StanChart says Evergrande crisis doesn’t dent enthusiasm for China

By Lawrence White LONDON, Sept 23 (Reuters) – The crisis at indebted developer China Evergrande Group (3333. HK) will not curb Standard Chartered’s (STAN.L) appetite for investing in the country, its Chief Financial officer Andy Halford told a banking conference on Thursday. Asia, Middle East, and Africa-focused lender have no direct exposure to Evergrande and “negligible” indirect exposure, he told […]