Commentary

Japanese banks and US$ liquidity: Squeezed between expensive deposits and the BoJ

For the last few years, Japanese banks have aggressively expanded their assets overseas, which has helped increased their stubbornly low profitability even after the introduction of negative interest rates by BoJ. Such a successful overseas strategy, profitability-wise, may be at risk due to US$ liquidity developments at a global level.

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Japanese banks and US$ liquidity: Squeezed between expensive deposits and the BoJ

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How can banks deal with the challenges of digitalisation in Asia?

New technology companies looking to break into the financial services sector are bringing fresh competition for banks – prompting a new era of digital innovation. But how can banks take advantage of this innovation and stay ahead of the competition?

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China's evolving bank restructuring: From loan-to-equity to loan-to-convertible bond swaps

It has been two years since Chinese banks have seen their luck turn sour with raising NPLs and decreasing profits. Preoccupied by other issues – including the collapse of the stock market and a huge loss of reserves after a mini-devaluation – the Chinese government only turned to the banks' situation early this year. Most of the actions taken have been piecemeal and uncoordinated.

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Supporting trade finance in Asia

61% of respondents to the ICC Banking Commission’s latest Global Survey reported a shortfall in global trade finance. And US$700 billion of the unmet demand comes from developing Asia. Here we examine the measures that can be taken to address the trade finance gap across the world’s largest continent.

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Blueprints for Japan's next-generation payment infrastructure

This post examines initiatives to accelerate the development of Japan's payment infrastructure through the lens of the Zengin System—the heart of this infrastructure.

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Banks are fighting to remain relevant

Global banking is facing a perfect storm. In addition to weak economic growth, major regulatory challenges, and historically low interest rates, the industry also faces an intensifying threat stemming from changing consumer perceptions of traditional banks coupled with the emergence of new competitors offering attractive, personalised products.

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Legacy modernisation in Japan's financial industry

This post examines the current status and future outlook of legacy modernisation in Japan's financial industry based on a survey Celent conducted in 2015. The survey targeted insurers, financial institutions, and brokers. Additional information was gathered in follow-up interviews through 2016.

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Regulation of domestic debit card transactions in Thailand

Back in 2012, Thailand's Electronic Transactions Commission issued regulations that mandated domestic processing of domestic debit card transactions with debit cards issued in Thailand. It granted a grace period of one year for service providers to meet the new requirements.

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Stressed assets of Indian banks: Way forward

As per Reserve Bank of India, the Indian banking system has gross stressed assets of 11.5% of total assets, as of March 2016. Amongst the various categories of banks, the percentage for public sector banks is, as expected, highest at 14.5%.

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Redesigning the Indian monetary policy framework

The classical central banker’s dilemma is how to address the growth versus inflation conflict. The prevailing orthodoxy has remained an independent monetary policy using base interest rates as the primary management tool.

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The digital challenge from a Philippine banking perspective

It is almost a cliché by now when banks cite Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes and controls as the biggest risk management challenge when going digital but it might be even more so in the case of the Philippines.

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Slower markets don't necessarily spell doom & gloom for jobs

Slower economic conditions around the region are certainly impacting our banks and financial services institutions, but that doesn’t mean hiring & recruitment has come to a complete halt. Organisations still need talent to keep operations running and lead them into new growth areas. This requires talent in different shapes and sizes than previously. Shifting sands just means a shift in focus is required to different functions, roles, or skills to meet current market conditions.

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Post-bonus season ushers in a flurry of recruitment activity

The second quarter of the calendar year is always a very active period for recruiters, after Chinese New Year and post-bonus season. Whilst candidates normally choose this time of year to open themselves up to new job opportunities, there is a surge in employers requiring specific skill-sets to fill the gaps left behind on top of their existing unfilled vacancies.

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A new year signals new jobs

The first quarter of the calendar year is traditionally a peak recruitment season within banking & financial services. The pace of recruitment will speed up with the majority of employers reviewing headcount and planning for the new year that lies ahead. This quarter will also see the payment of annual bonuses, which is preceded by candidates looking out for good opportunities and followed by an influx of roles and recruitment activity as people search for their next role.

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Managing banking relations: What Singapore's consumer banks should know about PDPA

Copious amounts of personal data is collected by banks each day and frequently shared with third parties as technology continues to revolutionise the way we bank. Last year, the Association of Banks in Singapore released the Code of Banking Practices which outlines the responsibilities of banks under the Personal Data Protection Act (‘PDPA’) and its regulations.

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Effective delivery of private banking risk and regulatory transformation in Asia

Private banks in Asia are increasingly burdened by risk and regulatory requirements, in fact more so than any other segments within banking. Regulations span numerous dimensions and serve various objectives including investor protection, financial crime prevention, capital adequacy management, taxation compliance, professional code of conduct, and risk management.

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Do you need to future-proof your career?

Careers in banking and finance are ever-evolving as constant change in Asia's markets creates demand for new skill sets. Whether changes are caused by new technologies, evolving regulations, or an increasingly competitive landscape, it pays to keep track of hiring trends as a barometer for your own career.

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