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Fed's Bies on innovation in financial markets
In the speech 'Innovation in financial markets and banking relationships' given on 27 April Susan Bies of the Federal Reserve said the credit swap market must prevent inside information on lending customers leaking to trading desks. A credit swap…
Moskow on personal financial management
In the speech 'The Importance of Personal Financial Management' given on 27 April Michael Moskow of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said new technologies and regulatory changes have allowed banks and other financial institutions to create many new,…
SADC: Central bank independence reduces inflation
Finance and development planning minister, Baledzi Gaolathe, told the SADC meeting of central bank governors in Botswana that countries where central banks enjoy independence had greater success in reducing inflation and improved micro economic…
Fed set to hold rates, but signal change in stance
Federal Reserve policy-makers were due to meet on Tuesday 4 May to plot the beginning of the end for the lowest U.S. official interest rates in 46 years. Some analysts believe there's a chance that the Fed might drop the word ''patient'' in its statement…
Sarkozy pledges to cut in deficit, sell reserves
French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to bring the country's deficit under control and also proposed to sell some of the gold held at the Bank of France.
BOJ's Fukui sees hope for prices
The governor of the Bank of Japan, Toshihiko Fukui, said on Sunday 2 May that he saw hope for ending six years of falling prices as early as the end of the current fiscal year, which began April 1.
Four new EU members hope to join euro
Four of the 10 new European Union members could take the first step towards joining the euro by the end of the year, with the aim of adopting the single currency in 2007, according to the European Commission.
Euro banknotes with Jean-Claude Trichet signature
Euro banknotes bearing the signature of Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), are starting to come into circulation, the ECB said in a statement. Production of these banknotes began shortly after Trichet became President on 1…
New Member State NCBs included in ERMII agreement
As of 1 May 2004, the National Central Banks of the ten new Member States of the European Union have become parties to the ERM II Central Bank Agreement.
ECB signs agreement with Interpol
The President of the ECB, Jean-Claude Trichet, and the Secretary General of Interpol, Ronald K. Noble, have signed an agreement aimed at ensuring effective co-operation between both parties in the protection of the euro and the fight against…
Ethics for central bankers
The ejection of Ernst Welteke from the presidency of the Bundesbank has focused many central bankers on the issue of professional ethics. CentralBankNet examines how leading central banks navigate the issue.
Classical King
A while back we reported that Bank of England governor Mervyn King was spotted out at an hour-long symphony by Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich at London's Royal Festival Hall. Now a press report says, shock horror, he has been seen carrying a CD of…
Eurozone inflation estimate reaches ECB 'ceiling'
Eurostat released a preliminary estimate for April inflation in the eurozone Friday showing that the rate had risen to a higher than expected 2.0 per cent from 1.7 per cent in March.
Nigeria gets new central bank governor
The Nigerian government announced on Thursday (29 April) the appointment of Professor Charles Soludo as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Also appointed by President Obasanjo was W. A. Mshelia, the first woman deputy governor of the…
Issing says rate split suggestions 'sci-fi'
European Central Bank (ECB) chief economist Otmar Issing expressed concern on Thursday 29 April about sluggish growth in the 12-nation eurozone and dismissed suggestion of splits in the ECB over interests rates as "science fiction."
Fukui says BOJ cannot commit to govt growth target
Toshihiko Fukui said in minutes released on Friday 30 April that while the Bank of Japan was committed to fighting deflation it could not commit to a specific growth rate, distancing the BOJ from a government growth target.
Monetary policy is no panacea: ECB's Papademos
European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos said on Thursday 29 April that European Union governments cannot rely on monetary policy to cure structural economic problems.
ECB welcomes the new EU Member States
On 1 May the European Union will have ten new Member States, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. In a press release Friday, Jean-Claude Trichet welcomed the ten saying "We look forward to…
SF Fed's Parry on globalization
In a speech on 'Globalization: Threat or Opportunity for the U.S. Economy?' given on 29 April, Robert Parry of the San Francisco Fed said the US economy benefits from companies' decisions to move jobs overseas because it creates new employment…
Papademos on five years of the euro
In a speech on 'Five years of the euro: past achievements and future challenges' given on 27 April, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said today we mark "The Euro at Five". The accomplishments of those five years are already substantial, he said, and we are…
Bies on current issues in corporate governance
In a speech on 'Current issues in corporate governance' given on 26 April, Susan Bies of the Federal Reserve said it was important for banks to ensure their processes for determining loan-loss reserves were solid.
SNB's Hildebrand: Inside Europe, outside EMU
In the speech 'Inside Europe, outside EMU - Lessons and Outlook' given on 23 April, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said a lesson that can be drawn from the UK experience is that it would be wrong for Switzerland to advocate an EMU…
Ex-CBK deputy governor in witness box
Former deputy Governor of the central bank of Kenya Eliphaz Riungu told the Goldenberg inquiry this week that he never opened accounts in the Indosuez Sogem Aval Ltd London branch bank for Central Bank of Kenya.
Colin Powell linked to World Bank top job
A report in the New York Times this week said the buzz in the capital was that Colin Powell could be the next president of the World Bank.