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News from SIBOS banking conference
Jean-Michel Godeffroy, director general of payment systems at the European Central Bank, was at the centre of several key debates at the SIBOS conference in Copenhagen on Wednesday 7 September.
Czechs drop 2009 as possible euro entry date
The Czech Republic is dropping 2009 as a possible date for entry to the euro, instead pencilling in 2010 as the preferred date.
G20 will include IMF, World Bank reform talks
The agenda for October's meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs will include reform of the IMF and World Bank, deputy finance minister Li Yong told the official Xinhua news agency.
IMF warns central banks on oil prices
The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned central banks of the second round effects of high oil prices.
Bank of Canada raises interest rates by 0.25%
The Bank of Canada announced on Wednesday 7 September that it is raising its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 2 3/4 per cent.
Bank of Italy's Fazio defies mounting calls to go
Antonio Fazio continues to defy calls for his resignation from the Bank of Italy. This article published on Tuesday 6 September says the face-off between Fazio and a growing number of government ministers threatens a prolonged institutional crisis in a…
U.K. interest rates are heading for a decline
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee will decide on UK interest rates this Thursday. This article published on Wednesday 7 September suggests there will no surprise when the MPC leaves interest rates unchanged at 4.5 per cent, but rates are…
India's Udeshi on financial system stability
In the speech 'Financial system stability and Basel II -Way forward' given on 26 August Kishori Udeshi of the RBI said the RBI is making efforts to formulate policies to deal with risks arising on account of operations of large and complex financial…
Comment: Bank of Italy reforms
As pressure mounts on the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, to take definitive action in the ongoing saga surrounding the position of Bank of Italy governor, Antonio Fazio, market analysts will also have one eye on some of the more fundamental…
OECD says Fed can slow rate hikes
The OECD advised the U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday 6 September to ease the pace at which it raises interest rates in the wake of the devastation and oil supply disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Berlusconi: Fazio should have gone 'long time ago'
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has joined the calls for the Bank of Italy's governor Antonio Fazio to resign, saying he should have quit 'a long time ago'.
ASEAN swap ceiling agreement signed
The Central Bank of Indonesia (BI), the Cambodian National Bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Bank of Thailand have signed an agreement to increase the ceiling of the ASEAN Swap Arrangement from 1 billion USD to 2 billion USD.
PBOC plans to issue guidance for e-payments
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) will soon issue guidance for e-payment to prevent payment risk and regulate rights and obligations between clients and banks in e-payment transactions, according to the vice governor of the PBOC on Monday 5 September.
Greenspan to visit Tokyo
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will visit Japan in October, during which he will meet with Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui and speak to business leaders, the BOJ said on Tuesday 6 September.
Asian central banks pledge to enhance integration
The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) jointly hosted a high-level seminar on Asian regional financial integration on 3 September 2005.
Norway's Gjedrem on petroleum and the economy
In the speech 'Petroleum and the Norwegian economy' given on 30 August Svein Gjedrem of Norges Bank stressed the role of the Petroleum Fund in stabilizing the krone.
RBI's Gopinath on forex, money and G-Sec markets
In a speech given on 13 August Shyamala Gopinath of the Reserve Bank of India said India will ensure stability in the country's $12bn-a-day foreign exchange market amid surging inflows and will maintain its slow pace in opening up the capital account.
Why Indonesia must consider abolishing rupiah
This article published on 1 September asks what is the good of having a monetary authority when it can't protect the purchasing power of the currency it issues? The crisis of confidence surrounding Indonesia's rupiah is prompting some analysts to ask if…
Fed may raise rates even after Hurricane Katrina
According to this article published on Tuesday 6 September, the outcome of the next Federal Reserve meeting scheduled for two weeks from today, is not a foregone conclusion, for the first time in nearly two years.
Comment: Oil markets - The need to look deeper
Crude oil futures last week shot above the $70 per barrel in the wake of hurricane Katrina's devastation of the American south coast.
Italy's finance minister calls on Fazio to resign
Italian Finance Minister Domenico Siniscalco has asked Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio to resign so that credibility can be restored to the institution.
IMF chief sees global growth despite oil prices
Global economic growth will stay above 4% this year, the head of the International Monetary Fund said at the weekend.
Zimbabwe's Gono pleads against IMF expulsion
Zimbabwe's central bank chief called on the IMF not to expel the country on Sunday 4 September and denied using undeclared foreign exchange to pay back part of the IMF debt.
Fed's Lacker says US can cope with Katrina shock
The US economy can absorb the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina because the Federal Reserve will not repeat the mistake of the 1970s of allowing an energy shock to fuel inflation expectations, Richmond Fed chief Jeffrey Lacker said on Friday 2 September.