SF Fed Blog
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China Tightens Bad Loan Recognition Rules
China’s recent decision to tighten bad loan recognition standards is an important and necessary step to repair small lenders’ balance sheets. The decision also means there will likely be significant recapitalization needs among lenders down the road, in addition to expectations for slower bank loan growth.
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Testing Time for Emerging Market Resilience
Indonesia’s economic fundamentals have improved considerably since the “taper tantrum”, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ratings agencies sanguine about its performance. But as global financial conditions tightened this year, volatility seems to be on the rise again putting the resilience of emerging markets to the test.
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Turning Dirty Cash Into Clean Energy
Bottles, cans, plastics, and paper probably come to mind when you think of recycling. But what happens to old U.S. currency?
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Revisiting Wage Growth
The July jobs report once again brought great news on employment gains and less than exciting news on wage growth. Data through the second quarter of 2018 show that median weekly earnings of full time workers rose just 2% on an annual basis, well below what might be expected in such a robust labor market. So what is going on?
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Speaking Up for East Oakland
A group of women is using photography to show the impact of neighborhood neglect on their daily lives, encouraging investment in and change for their low-income communities.
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What Is Financial Wellness?
Does worrying about your finances keep you up at night? Focusing on financial wellness can help.
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What Is the Beige Book?
Eight times a year, two weeks before a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, you’ll find a new Beige Book linked from our website and social media accounts. What is it? What’s in it? Here’s what you need to know.
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Asia Prepares for New Bail-in Bonds
A decade removed from the global financial crisis, the world’s most systemically important banks are preparing to meet new rules on total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) by 2019. New TLAC-eligible debt securities, popularly known as “bail-in” bonds, have emerged post-2008 as part of efforts to minimize the need for taxpayer bailouts in future crises. In Asia, banks in Japan and China will face tailored versions of these requirements based on the unique features of each country’s banking system. Below, we examine the state of TLAC in Asia.
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Helping Banks Brace for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season was especially busy in 2017 with six major storms on record. While we can’t predict the severity of this year’s storms, we are prepared to meet increased cash demand in recovery zones if necessary. Here’s how.
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Why Are Foreigners Holding More Onshore Chinese Securities?
Foreign holding of onshore Chinese securities is expanding rapidly from a small base. Over the past year, overseas investment in Chinese A-share stocks has gained momentum after the MSCI decided to add Chinese A-shares to the MSCI index family. This development will enhance the already growing interconnectedness between Chinese capital markets and the rest of the world.