BIS central bankers’ speeches  13  The Bank’s Monetary Policy Report also presents alternative scenarios for the Norwegian economy. If developments are broadly in line with expectations, economic agents can expect that the interest rate will be set in line with that projected by Norges Bank. If conditions change, as was the case in August, Norges Bank will naturally adapt the monetary policy stance in the light of new economic prospects. Through summer, dramatic falls on stock exchanges and political unrest made the headlines. There are now prospects of lower economic growth in many countries. In both the US and many countries in Europe, public debt is high and fiscal deficits are substantial. At the same time, measures to reduce the deficit in the short term will also dampen activity. Some economists fear a renewed economic setback in the US and the financial markets are characterised by turbulence and uncertainty. The US and EU authorities are facing demanding decision-making processes. In the US, the political parties and the people are divided in their views on taxation and the exercise of central government authority, reflected for example in the absence of measures to strengthen central government revenues. The debt problems in the EU are being aggravated by the lack of a similar coordination of fiscal policy to support the European monetary union. Government finances in many of the countries now experiencing problems have been weaker than required under the EU’s own rules for several years. Measures have been put in place.
In line with Malaysia’s aspiration to be a leading international Islamic financial hub, flexibility is granted for nonresidents to raise ringgit through issuance of sukuk in Malaysia as part efforts to attract higher level of foreign participation and promote diversity of market players and products in the Malaysian Islamic financial markets. The sukuk market now accounts for more than fifty percent of our bond market and has drawn participation from a wide range of international corporations and multilateral agencies in raising funds and investing in sukuk issuances out of Malaysia. BIS Review 151/2010  3  Myth 5: FEA rules are restrictive on accessibility to ringgit offshore by foreign investors for settlement of their investments in Malaysia Many may not have realised that since 2007, non-residents have been allowed to access ringgit offshore through any appointed overseas branches within the same banking group of the onshore banks to purchase or sell ringgit on a spot or forward basis based on firm underlying commitment for investments in ringgit assets. This was to maximise the potential and seamless opportunities through the widening of international investors’ participation into the Malaysian capital market. As onshore banks, you should capitalise on these opportunities to reap the benefits and at the same time, contribute to the enhancement in the development of the domestic financial market. These FEA rules were also designed to facilitate investment by foreign companies into the real sector. It is our intention that the FEA rules will facilitate and ease foreign investment into the country.