Regulation

Each year, I try to start the year with a few predictions of what will happen.  Last year proved to be pretty accurate, although it was playing fairly safe. This year is fuzzier in outlook, with not a great deal of obvious trends emerging. But a few that seem likely are: Certainty in the economy…

With the news that the cheque will end its life as a valid payments instrument in the UK on 31st October 2018, it's worth reminding all that it's not just old people who use them: But that the main usage is with businesses, who want to keep cheques. Because they like them for cashflow management….

It's forty days since the introduction of the Payment Services Directive (PSD), so there has been lots of chat about the PSD this week, and how it’s working or not working. Derogations and interpretations are rife, with the hottest and most contentious issue being the fact that charges are now meant to be shared (SHA…

It's forty days since the introduction of the Payment Services Directive (PSD), so there has been lots of chat about the PSD this week, and how it’s working or not working. Derogations and interpretations are rife, with the hottest and most contentious issue being the fact that charges are now meant to be shared (SHA…

It's forty days since the introduction of the Payment Services Directive (PSD), so there has been lots of chat about the PSD this week, and how it’s working or not working. Derogations and interpretations are rife, with the hottest and most contentious issue being the fact that charges are now meant to be shared (SHA…

In the final part of this discussion of risks and opportunities in CEE, I was asked to give a view (see if you can spot me).   So here’s my brief summary: What are the risks for the next year or two? First, we are still in the middle of what I call the internet,…

At the Financial Services Club in Central & Eastern Europe (FSClub CEE) meeting, you may be wondering what John McFall doing there. The meeting was held at the British Embassy, our usual location for these meetings, and coincided with a tour of the region by some members of the Treasury Select Committee, who had spent…

Fascinating meetings with the Russian exchanges RTS and SPIMEX. After my reference to military intelligence yesterday, you may wonder whether SPIMEX is something to do with finding out who started the swine flu pandemic but no, it’s the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange. The two exchanges have very different start points and focal points, with…

A cheque processing conference sounds pretty dull these days, especially as cheques are on their way out across most economies. However, a cheque processing conference celebrating 350 years since the oldest surviving cheque was written? No, not that boring. In fact, as I’m a sucker for numbers and facts, the annual conference of the Cheque…