Such a turn of events would have had severe effects on the real economy. In this respect, it is important to refrain from drawing too-sweeping conclusions from the banking collapse in Iceland, as the international part of Iceland’s banking system was so large and domestic banking operations were actually kept up and running at considerable cost. International cooperation on crisis management grew markedly in scope, particularly through collaboration among the G20 countries and at the International Monetary Fund. It encompassed a common perspective on fiscal measures to support the banking system and stimulate demand, and the provision of support to specific countries. Later on, emphasis shifted to the reform of the financial regulatory framework. That work is still underway. BIS central bankers’ speeches  1  But in spite of these measures, by late 2008 and early 2009 the recession on both sides of the Atlantic had become the deepest since the interwar years, and on a global level it was the most extensive and synchronised contraction in history. All of this affected the Icelandic economy, of course, but added to it were the collapse of Iceland’s banks, the plunge in asset prices, and the inevitable adjustment of domestic demand following the overheating in 2005–2007 – an adjustment that had begun before the banks fell. The contraction from the peak in Q4/2007 to the trough in Q1/2010 was the deepest Iceland has seen, at least in the post-war period. GDP contracted by nearly 12½%.
First, given the unpredictable and dynamic nature of the financial market, there is urgency for us to keep our fingers on the pulse of the market and have access to real time information. 2  BIS central bankers’ speeches  There is much scope for cooperation between the central bank and industry players in this area. In addition to being familiar and observance of the rules and regulations of the financial market, we expect market participants to know the details of their clients’ transactions to aid us in understanding the nature of the market conditions. Everyone has an important role to play in maintaining the stability of the market and remain vigilant on all financial market activities. This is necessary to prevent activities that could threaten financial stability and create unnecessary volatility, or incidents that could damage the integrity of our domestic financial market. Secondly, while I’m on the topic of enhancement of market stability and integrity, I should stress on the importance of upholding individual ethics and professional conduct. The market is made up of individuals including institutions. The glue that binds individuals and institutions that constitute the market is TRUST. A case in point, on rate rigging, several global banks paid hefty fines to regulatory authorities because of individuals rogue traders. Many dealers were convicted of wrong doings, and investors are still taking lawsuits against the banks. TRUST was violated. While no Malaysian dealers were caught red handed in market misconduct, we should not be complacent.