Strengthen the continuing efforts aiming at market transparency Experience shows that uncertainty and incomplete information are determining factors in mimetic behaviour. These shortfalls in market transparency make mimetic behaviour seem rational to agents, who prefer to follow bigger participants, who are thought to be better informed, rather than develop their own analysis. Strengthening transparency therefore continues to be a priority. One of the objectives of transparency is to enable better differentiation of borrower creditworthiness. A key feature of mimetic behaviour is that all borrowers are "tarred with the same brush". So when one emerging economy encounters difficulties, all neighbouring countries, or countries that share common characteristics, are treated in the same way – regardless of their actual economic and financial situation. The same applies to businesses operating in the same economic sector. Transparency has substantially increased since the Asian crisis, thanks to a solid global consensus. Let us continue and reinforce these efforts. Take into account the medium and long-term perspective of some market participants Some investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, have to invest funds in order to enable their customers to build up wealth over the medium and long term, notably in preparation for retirement. Consequently, these types of investors are supposed to behave differently from traders and short-term investors, who are working on a very different time horizon. But at times it seems that they are all pushed to behave in much the same way, on the basis of a very short-term horizon.

In this respect, I must stress that the Basle Committee, as illustrated by the new Capital Accord, is encouraging banks to use more sophisticated and accurate risk measurements techniques. In addition, supervisors might help –and obviously they are already helping- to spread the idea that financial institutions should round out their current range of risk management tools to include extensive use of stress testing. This technique offers a better reflection of the varying situations of institutions and of the diverse perceptions that institutions have of exceptional events. The application of stress testing techniques and their results are thus inherently more diversified than those resulting from methods based on the value-at-risk approach. These are only examples of options to help improve the functioning of markets. There is probably some merit in an overall review of regulatory, accounting and tax rules and regulations, as well as of codes of good conduct and good practices, and of structural developments of market themselves, to identify possible amendments and improvements that could help protect and enhance the behavioural and conceptual diversity of modern financial markets. In conclusion, let me stress the important role played by central banks in preserving monetary and financial stability in an increasingly globalised world. The recent years have shown the benefits of monetary stability in terms of growth in a globalised world. It is of course closely linked to central bank’s independence, which is no longer a matter of debate.