Feature/Governance
China’s monetary mandarins
The ever-increasing importance of China’s economic policymakers has led to intense scrutiny of the people behind the headlines. Andrew Peaple profiles the most important players
Why do central banks make losses?
Financial losses can be very damaging to the reputation and independence of a central bank. Franziska Schobert examines why losses occur.
Learning from the private sector
Central banks have lagged behind the commercial banks improving financial accountability, argues Jeremy Foster and Stephen Anderson.
Balancing transparency and discretion
Central banks face unique challenges in meeting demands for financial transparency. Clifford Smout suggests how a better understanding of their performance can be enabled.
Using financial statements proactively
Kenneth Sullivan identifies practical steps central banks can take to resolve problems with existing accounting frameworks and improve financial accountability
Central Bank of Ruritania: management commentary
Robin Darbyshire highlights what a draft management commentary of a central bank might look like
Talking numbers
Central banks can and should write a management commentary to accompany their accounts, says Robin Darbyshire
The changing role of sovereign wealth managers
An overview of recent developments in this emerging field of international finance, Malan Rietveld and Robert Pringle
Assaults on independence
Central banks have recently faced serious challenges to their independence. Narayan Lakshman reports
Inflation targeting: a user's guide
A new paper from the IMF spells out what is required to target inflation writes Narayan Lakshman of Central Banking
Three future risks
So far so great says Stephen King. What of the next decade?
Reflections and comparisons
Christian de Boissieu scrutinises the Bank's record
Financial education: what central banks can achieve
Central banks increasingly realise the importance of educating the public. Drawing on presentations given at recent a conference organised by the National Bank of Poland, Narayan Lakshman looks at how they go about this
China's new reserve strategy
Hui Feng goes behind the scenes in Bijing to report on the new guidelines governing the management of the world's first trillion dollar pile of official reserves
Singapore notes
A round-up of talking points from this year's meetings of the IMF and World Bank
The new geography of international finance
Marc Uzan examines the implications of the shift on the IMF's voting rights
More transparency may harm bond markets
More transparency in European bond markets may mean less liquidity according to a recent report
Central banks should close the governance gap
Central banks seem reluctant to adopt prevailing private-sector “best practice” in governance, but there are benefits in doing so says Jeremy Foster.
Bernanke on Bernanke
Central Banking selects key remarks on major policy issues by the Fed chairman- elect.
Weber stands his ground
Tussles with government have tested his mettle, but Axel Weber has impressed in his first year at the Bundesbank, writes Marietta Kurm-Engels.
Obituary: John Page 1923-2005
Elizabeth Hennessy looks back on the career of John Page, whose influence as chief cashier at the Bank ran throughout the City.
Rebuilding the banking system
After managing the severe crises of the 1990s, the central bank is committed to strengthening and deepening the banking system.
Good governance for central banks
Henry Schiffman spells out how central banks can improve the way they are run.