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Canada's gold reserves fell last month
Canada's finance department revealed on Wednesday that it had sold part of its gold holding, with the proceeds to be used for buying other foreign currency securities.
Trichet favours Bank of France re-organisation
A report says Jean-Claude Trichet favours a re-organisation of the Bank of France by departments, as opposed to regions.
ECB on foreign exchange market, 5 Mar
PRESS RELEASE - Publication of a review of the foreign exchange market structure, 5 March. Analysis of the structure of the foreign exchange market.
ECB refinancing, 6 Mar
PRESS RELEASE - Monetary policy decisions. The minimum bid rate on the main refinancing operations will be reduced by 0.25 percentage point to 2.50%, starting from the operation to be settled on 12 March 2003.
Federal Reserve Board - Beige Book, March 2003
REPORT - The Federal Reserve Beige Book released 5 March said the U.S. economy "remained subdued" in the past two months as the prospect of war with Iraq constrained consumer and business spending, the Federal Reserve said in its latest survey of…
Guynn on the road to recovery
SPEECH - In the speech 'The Road to Recovery and an Atlanta Perspective' Jack Guynn of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said that this recovery was different from previous ones. The big difference in this recovery, Guynn said, is that there has been…
Parry on prospects for local and national economy
SPEECH - In the speech 'Prospects for the National and Local Economies: A Monetary Policymaker's View' Robert Parry of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said "If it were called for we still have room to give a boost to the economy, even in the…
Kohn testimony on Business Checking Freedom Act
SPEECH - The Fed backs paying interest on checking accounts, Fed Governor Donald Kohn said in testimony before Congress on 6 March. "Unnecessary restrictions on the payment of interest on demand deposits at depository institutions and on balances held at…
Background on Kenya's new central bank head
FEATURE - The new Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Dr Andrew Mulei, is currently the Executive Director of the African Centre for Economic Growth. This feature provides some background details on the new CBK chief.
RBA leaves rates steady
The Reserve Bank of Australia left interest rates on hold Wednesday for the ninth month in a row.
Fed's Parry: Fed has room to ease again
San Francisco Fed president Robert Parry has said there may still be room to reduce interest rates, if it were called for, as the risk of sparking an inflation increase was low.
World Bank wants Venezuela to lift for ex controls
The World Bank has said Venezuela's currency controls are transitory and can only work temporarily.
Norway central bank cuts interest rates
Norges Bank, the Norwegian central bank, lowered key interest rates Wednesday by a half-percentage point. The Bank hinted that further reductions may be necessary.
Serb central banker would refuse Hague testimony
Serbian central bank chief Mladjan Dinkic said Tuesday he would refuse an approach for him to give testimony in the Hague because, he said, "I do not know what the purpose of my appearance before that tribunal would be".
Kenya president appoints new central bank governor
President Kibaki of Kenya has officially received and accepted the resignation of Nahashon Nyagah as the governor of Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). Dr Andrew Mulei has been appointed as his replacement. The CBK confirmed to CentralBankNet that Dr Mulei's…
Bank of Japan Press Release, 5 Mar
PRESS RELEASE - Decision from the Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting, 5 March.
Norges Bank Press Release, 5 Mar
PRESS RELEASE - Norges Bank has decided to reduce the interest rate on banks' deposits with Norges Bank, the sight deposit rate, by 0.50 percentage point with effect from 6 March. The interest rate on banks' overnight loans will also be reduced by 0.50…
Dissent inside the Eurotower
ARTICLE - This article suggests that even if the ECB cuts interest rates on Thursday, the move will do little to satisfy critics pressing for a reappraisal of the bank's policymaking framework. The article suggests tensions between key ECB officials…
Kohn on the strength in consumer durables
SPEECH - In the speech 'The Strength in Consumer Durables and Housing: Policy Stabilization or Problem in the Making?' Donald Kohn of the Federal Reserve said it seems likely that as the economy strengthens and interest rates rise in response, household…
Issing on monetary policy strategies
SPEECH - In the speech 'Considerations on monetary policy strategies for accession countries' Otmar Issing of the European Central Bank said central banks in accession countries can do a lot to facilitate a smooth and sustainable accession process. Their…
Edey on economic performance and issues in 2003
SPEECH - In the speech 'Economic Performance and Issues in 2003' Malcolm Edey of the Reserve Bank of Australia said the international environment is quite an uncertain one, and the outlook now is not as promising as it seemed to be at this time last year…
BoE's George- pound fall cuts euro entry obstacles
Sir Edward George suggested on Tuesday that the Bank of England's recent surprise cut in interest rates would be "seen as quite dangerous by the ECB". He also suggested the ECB could benefit from a technical subcommittee to make interest rate…
Ukrainian leader urges c bank/ cabinet cooperation
Leonid Kuchma, the Ukrainian president, has said decisions must be coordinated, particularly between the National Bank of Ukraine and the government.
Incoming BOJ Gov. Fukui mustn't be an also-ran
ARTICLE - This article provides some background on the new governor of the Bank of Japan Toshihiko Fukui. At one time, it says, Fukui was at the forefront of moves to reform the central bank, which had been disparagingly described as "nothing more than a…