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Bank of Thailand considers sale of two state banks
The Bank of Thailand said Monday it will hold meetings to consider the sales of two nationalised banks - Siam City Bank (H.SCB) and Bangkok Metropolitan Bank PCL (H.BMB) on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Euro has been a success - Banque de France Trichet
Bank of France governor Jean-Claude Trichet said Monday that the euro has been a success since its launch. In a speech in Tokyo, Trichet said that the single European currency has been both a technical success, and a "benchmarking" success - in that the…
IMF says Turkey policy on track
The International Monetary Fund said in a statement released on its website that the Turkish government's IMF-supported economic programme was on track and is expected to remain so.
Thai central bank clamps down on baht speculation
The Bank of Thailand clamped down further on baht speculation on Monday, telling local banks it would start strictly enforcing a ban on one-day, tom/next and forward dollar/baht deals with offshore parties if there was no underlying commercial purpose.
German treasury loses out over euro seigniorage
According to the German economics institute IFO, the introduction of the euro coins and banknotes at the beginning of 2002 will cause a financial loss to the German treasury of DM60bn.
Stiffer tests for future Eurozone members -Welteke
Ernst Welteke, president of the Bundesbank, has raised concerns about whether the countries preparing to join the European Union in the next few years would be ready to become members of the EU's single currency.
Probe begins at Bank into declining staff morale
The governing court of the Bank of England has ordered an investigation into falling morale at the Bank, following the introduction of a controversial new benefits package for staff.
Bank of Japan can learn from Sweden on inflation
In a letter to the editor in Financial Times today, Professor Lars Jonung argues that the Bank of Japan can learn from the Riksbank in adopting a zero inflation target.
Gerashchenko angry at MPs for changing auditor
Russian newspapers report on Viktor Gerashchenko's anger about the Duma's decision to ditch the central bank's auditor Price Waterhouse Coopers in favour of Deloitte & Touche.
Euro weakness must be seen in context - Schioppa
European Central Bank council member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa on Saturday said that the euro's current weakness needed to be judged in light of historical exaggerations in currency swings.
Issing says uncertainty over US economic outlook
European Central Bank member Otmar Issing said investors have become more cautious on the outlook for the dollar and that the U.S. economy is slowing faster than Europe's, an Italian financial paper reported on Saturday.
BOT governor urges changes to central bank statute
Bank of Thailand governor Chatu Mongol Sonakul has suggested that a statute be introduced to turn the central bank into a "constitutional body of parliament" similar to the Election Commission or the national Frequency Management Board.
Hungary PM asks Jarai to be central bank chief
In a widely tipped move, Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, has asked minister of finance Zsigmond Jarai to head the National Bank of Hungary from March, when the six-year tenure of the current president Gyorgy Suranyi expires.
Indonesia: 'Halt the case against Sjahril'
A lawyer representing suspended Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril Sabirin in the Bank Bali scandal said on Friday that prosecution should be halted since other defendants in the case had been declared not guilty by a district court.
Thai bank chief calls for focus on banking bills
Thailand's central bank governor Chatu Mongkol Sonakul on Friday urged the next government to treat as a priority the passing into law of pending banking legislation.
Japan FRC head urges BOJ broad view on easing
Japan's top financial regulator on Friday urged the Bank of Japan to take a broad view in deciding whether or not to ease monetary policy, implying he favoured an easing.
BOK head sees no capital flight next year
The implementation of the second-stage foreign exchange liberalisation plan next year is unlikely to lead to a sudden flight of domestic capital to foreign countries, Bank of Korea governor Chon Chol-hwan said yesterday.
RBI governor says policy juggling is the best
Many central banks around the world target price inflation, but the RBI has multiple economic targets, says Alan Beattie from the Financial Times.
IBRA speeds up sale of Salim corporate assets
The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) is speeding up the sale of corporate assets once owned by the Salim Group even as the two sides prepare to face off in a test of wills that could have severe ramifications for the country's economic…
India's RBI advocates cautious pension reform
The Indian government needs to move cautiously before letting the private sector manage pension funds, a top central bank official said on Friday.
Economic integration in the Korean peninsula
Marcus Noland, senior fellow at the Institute for International Economics, has written a paper called "Economic Integration in Koreas: Prospect and Risks" for the ICAS autumn symposium 2000 in Washington, DC.
Vietnam central bank agrees on bank merging plan
Vietnam's central bank has agreed in principle to the merger of two commercial banks but a final decision will be announced after merging procedures are completed, a bank official said on Friday.