News
OECD sees scope for ECB rate cut
The OECD's semiannual economic outlook report said that with inflation pressures waning it is assumed the ECB will hold interest rates until the recovery firms, reports AFP, but there is scope for easing policy if the economic upturn stalls or the euro…
Greek central bank warns on public debt
Nicholas Garganas, Governor of the Bank of Greece, has called for a strict adherence to the stability and growth pact, according to a report by Kathimerini. Garganas told Parliament that uncontrolled deficits will have serious consequences on interest…
ECB statement on ECOFIN budget conclusions
Statement of the European Central Bank Governing Council on the ECOFIN Council conclusions regarding the correction of excessive deficits in France and Germany, 25 November. The ECB's press release warns: "The Conclusions adopted by the ECOFIN Council…
Slovakia to take small coins out of use
The National Bank of Slovakia is to remove from circulation 10 and 20 halier coins over the next five years, The Slovak Spectator reported. The NBS said the small haliers are too expensive to produce.
'Computerized' bank cards coming to Korea
The Bank of Korea said Monday, according to the Chosun Ilbo, that from next year integrated-circuit (IC) chips would replace magnetic strips in bank cards. Korea's Financial Supervisory Service said it plans to issue IC credit cards on a trial basis…
Irish go back to 'hoarding' coins: central bank
Speaking at the issue of 40,000 commemorative coin sets, the central bank of Ireland's head of currency Hugh O'Donnell said Irish people have reverted to their old habits of 'hoarding' coins.
Bangladesh Bank circulates new notes
Bangladesh Bank will print 1,155 million new notes by June, 2004 to help people replace torn and soiled notes, The Daily Star reported. People have been crowding the BB's exchange counter for the last couple of days to replace torn and soiled notes with…
Russia's gold reserves on hold
Central Bank of Russia deputy governor Oleg Vyugin was quoted as saying Russia has no plans to increase gold reserves at the moment. He said current conditions were not good for buying gold which is "substantially expensive" and lacks liquidity, Reuters…
PBOC to discuss Hong Kong yuan operations
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is holding meetings this week with officials from the People's Bank of China, Dow Jones reported. Officials from PBOC will discuss what operations Hong Kong's banks can conduct on the yuan from next year.
Italy wants ECB chiefs chosen by majority
Italy, the current holder of the EU presidency, has made a proposal to change the way top officials at the European Central Bank are appointed, Reuters said. A draft compromise circulated to EU member states said the ECB's six top officials should be…
France and Italy lead charge for EU pact change
French Finance Minister Francis Mer said Wednesday the EU should consider revising the stability and growth pact in 2005, Reuters said. While Italian Treasury undersecretary Gianluigi Magri commented "Pact 1 is finished with. We need to change the…
Dutch start negotiations on staff reduction
Central bankers throughout the euro area have their eyes anxiously fixed on the Netherlands. For it is there that the first really big job cuts in an national central bank (NCB) since the introduction of the euro are due to take place. The Netherlands…
Interview with BNB's Tsvetan Manchev
In an extensive interview published by Capital weekly, the National Bank of Bulgaria's deputy governor Tsvetan Manchev said that the BNB plans to carry out vocational training of its staff in preparation to take an active part in the banking system of…
Does Greenspan deserve another term?
Posing the question, "Does Greenspan deserve another term?" Joseph Salerno, who teaches economics at Pace University, answers with a resounding NO! Not only had the Fed's performance been "outstandingly bad" during the Greenspan years, it says, but the…
Trichet's home sweet home
After stepping into Wim Duisenberg's shoes at the start of November as President of the European Central Bank, it now transpires that Jean-Claude Trichet has also moved into Duisenberg's old house.
IMF eyes replacement for Geithner
Speaking last Friday, 21 November, IMF chief Horst Koehler that said he would appoint Mark Allen to replace Tim Geithner, who is now President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, according to Reuters. If approved by the IMF's executive board Allen…
St Louis Fed to lose over 130 staff
President of the St Louis Fed, William Poole, has said that the bank plans to close its Louisville branch next year, according to The Courier Journa, with staff numbers of 140 reduced to less than ten. The branch will maintain a board of directors in…
Central bank finest go East
After retiring from the Bank of England Sir Edward George joined the boards of NM Rothschild, Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster's property group and Swiss confectioner Nestle, swapping gold bars for chocolate bars in the process. But now Sir Eddie, and…
New Vice Governor at BEAC
The Bank of Central African States, the central bank for Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon has appointed Pacifique Issoibeka as its new Vice Governor. Issoibeka joined the BEAC in 1973.
MAS to carry out monetary policy review
Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, said at the bank's staff seminar last week that the MAS would be undertaking a comprehensive review of how it conducts monetary policy to take into account structural changes in the…
Minister explains Slovenia's decision on EMU
Slovenian Finance Minister Dusan Mramor told a business conference that the decision to enter the European Exchange Rate Mechanism ERM II and the European Monetary Union (EMU) as soon as possible has been risky, but well thought through, according to the…
Russian Duma adopts new law on currency controls
The Russian State Duma adopted a draft law "On currency regulation and currency control" on 21 November, according to ITAR-TASS. Under the law precious metals and stones will no longer be treated as currency assets and Russian citizens will be allowed to…
EU bends budget rules for Germany, France
A proposal to suspend the sanctions mechanism of the stability and growth pact for France and Germany was agreed on Tuesday 25 November by eurozone finance ministers, acording to Reuters. A declaration by the Ecofin council, meeting in Brussels, agreed…
ECB considers one-euro, two-euro notes
Following requests from some countries, including Italy, the European Central Bank said on Tuesday 25 November it was considering introducing one-euro and two-euro notes, according to Expatica. If agreed, it is expected to take several years from design…