The economic activity slowdown and uncertainty about the future, in the face of still tightening lending terms by banks, have guided the economic agents’ decisions to postpone the investment plans and to less finance consumption from borrowing. However, monetary developments confirm an improved situation of deposits during the second half of 2009. The change in depositors’ behaviour, in the context of measures taken to prevent the spread of global crisis effects, and the foreign currency inflows in the form of remittances during summer, have contributed to stabilizing the liquidity situation of the banking system. Financial markets were characterized by a more relaxed situation during the second half of the year. The banking system continued to be featured by liquidity constraints, which were remedied by central bank liquidity injections. Improved liquidity situation due to increased deposits in the system and fostered certainty in the market created a suitable environment for transmitting the monetary policy signal to the interbank market. The key interest rate cut at the end of October is followed by reduced yields on government securities, after the upward trend characterizing them throughout the year. In the meantime, the Bank of Albania, in accordance with time lags that characterize the monetary policy transmission mechanism, expects and requires that the key interest rate cut be transmitted to credit markets. *** The Supervisory Council’s Decision on keeping the key interest rate unchanged aims to further maintain and consolidate the macroeconomic balances, considering them as a necessary prerequisite for a sustainable and long-term growth.

Malaysia 's own experience in managing the financial crisis in our part of the world over 1997-1998 was that a decisive and comprehensive response at an early stage of the crisis not only produced an early recovery but it also reduced the cost of the crisis on the financial system and the economy. The crisis was a defining moment for Bank Negara Malaysia . The Bank's efforts to sustain stability did not end when the Asian financial crisis abated, and when economic recovery was firmly in place. The key lesson was that foundations for resilience are built during the good times. Once stability was restored, the Bank therefore embarked on a comprehensive restructuring and reform of the financial sector. This included the aggressive development of the domestic financial markets and the strengthening of the regulatory and supervisory oversight. This has been reinforced by a higher level of regional cooperation and collaboration. Therefore, it is not what we are currently doing to cope with this international financial crisis but the efforts that have been undertaken over several years that have ensured the resilience of our financial system during these most challenging of times. Over the course of these recent months, we have witnessed the introduction of massive fiscal stimulus packages, sweeping proposals for regulatory reforms and various unorthodox policy measures being introduced to stabilise and restore market confidence in the financial system. Whilst these measures were necessary and have contributed towards some stabilisation in global financial markets, more importantly is the long-term sustainability of this trend.