SEOUL—The capital ratios of South Korean banks could come under some pressure when they adopt the new Basel capital rules, probably at the end of 2007. But capital ratios do not now seem likely to display the kind of falls that once seemed on the cards, according to a report by rating agency Standard and Poor’s. In general, the agency’s message is that South Korean banks are making steady progress. The overall outlook, it says, “is positive.”

SEOUL - South Korea\'s 19 commercial banks will all be required to comply with the new Basel capital accord from the end of 2007, irrespective of which option they choose to measure their risk capital under the international agreement to bolster bank safety.

NEW YORK - There are some early signs that fewer banks around the world will adopt the most sophisticated approaches to measuring their regulatory risk capital under the new Basel capital accord than originally seemed likely.

BRUSSELS - Global banking regulators expect to issue discussion papers on contentious double default and trading book issues in early April, and to begin a Basel II recalibration exercise earlier than anticipated, the world\'s top banking regulator said in January.

PHILADELPHIA - Difficult challenges lie ahead in implementing the Basel II upgrade of international rules for bank safety, a top US central banker said in early January.

LONDON - European banking supervisors plan to issue a number of public consultation papers this year, most of them related to the implementation in the European Union of the Basel II upgrade of international capital rules for bank safety.

FRANKFURT-AM-MAIN, Germany - Signs of increased risk-taking by European banks are evident with their increased holding of bonds and other debt, the European Central Bank (ECB) said in December.

COPENHAGEN - Denmark\'s central bank sent a polite warning to the country\'s banks in December not to get careless about their capital levels with the introduction of new accounting rules and the coming of the Basel II capital regime.

Banks in the Jewish state say they are adequately capitalised. Critics say otherwise. Basel II should reveal the truth

Stanley Fischer, the distinguished American economist who\'s been nominated to head Israel\'s central bank, believes that the Basel II bank safety rules could materially reduce the incentive for larger international banks to expand operations in emerging market economies.