FSF now the Financial Stability Board
The Financial Stability Forum, a talking shop of international financial regulators, will be beefed up and renamed as the Financial Stability Board and its membership broadened as one of the decisions of international political leaders at the group of 20 summit in London overnight.A statement from the FSF and published by the Bank of International Settlements said the aim of the now FSB will be to "strengthen its effectiveness as a mechanism for national authorities, standard setting bodies and international financial institutions to address vulnerabilities and to develop and implement strong regulatory, supervisory and other policies in the interest of financial stability."Whether the FSB will matter much remains to be seen. The Daily Telegraph reported from London a suggestion that big banks and insurance giants considered important to the global system would each be overseen by the FSB.Developing nations including China, Brazil and India will join the FSB. The Reserve Bank of Australia is a member already.Other relevant initiatives from the G20 summit include a trebling in capital for the International Monetary Fund, an increase of US$250 billion in special drawing rights at the fund and a further $US250 billion for the World Bank to finance new trade guarantees.