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Japan's Takenaka starts diplomatic offensive
JAPAN - Heizo Takenaka, Japan's economics and financial services minister, continued a frantic round of diplomacy on Monday as he sought to secure the backing of bankers and politicians for his plan to revive the financial sector ahead of its release…
Gjedrem on inflation targeting and economic policy
SPEECH - In the speech 'Inflation targeting and the interplay in economic policy' made on 16 October, Svein Gjedrem of the Norges Bank said a substantial share of the effects of an interest rate change will occur within two years. Two years is thus a…
Duisenberg on transforming the financial system
SPEECH - In the speech 'The transformation of the European financial system' made on 24 October, Wim Duisenberg of the ECB said developments such as the introduction of the euro have implications that are manifold and profound, in particular for central…
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
SPECIAL FEATURE - In this weeks special feature CentralBankNet looks at the furore surrounding recent comments from the EC President. Fur has been flying in all directions after Romano Prodi fired a broadside at the EU's Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). …
Takenaka apology leaves bank reform in turmoil
JAPAN - Confusion over Japan's proposed banking reform deepened yesterday as Heizo Takenaka, this month empowered by Junichiro Koizumi, the prime minister, to clean up the financial system, apologised to parliament for remarks suggesting that no company…
BOK urged to focus on long-term inflation target
KOREA - The central bank should set its inflation target on a medium- or long-term basis rather than on an annual basis to maintain price stability more effectively, economic experts said at a seminar on inflation held at the Bank of Korea (BOK) in…
Brazil's finance chiefs upbeat on life under Lula
BRAZIL - Brazil's economic authorities have held out the possibility of a significant recovery in the country's battered financial markets following a likely leftwing victory in Sunday's presidential run-off election.
Treasury-central bank rift in Israel
ISRAEL - For the first time in decades, the Prime Minister's Office, the treasury and the Bank of Israel did not jointly publish the national forecast together with the publication of the 2003 budget. The disagreement is testimony to the difficult…
Malaysia pushes for 'gold dinar'
MALAYSIA - Malaysia will set up a secretariat to study and promote the use of the gold dinar as currency for international trade if the cabinet agrees, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.
Sri Lanka c bank predicts sharp drop in inflation
SRI LANKA - The Central Bank (CB) has forecast a sharp drop in the annual average inflation by the end of 2002 with the foreseeable continuation of the present ceasefire in the North.
Manuel calls for SARB inflation target review
SOUTH AFRICA - Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has suggested politicians and other interested parties hold a discussion on inflation targeting once Statistics South Africa has completed its study on the country's target measure, CPIX.
House boom 'should not deter Bank' from rate cut
ARTICLE - The house price boom should no longer stand in the way of a cut in interest rates, according to Stephen Nickell, the longest-serving external member on the Bank of England's monetary policy committee.
Bank of Canada Monetary Policy Report
REPORT - Bank of Canada released its October 2002 Monetary Policy Report, 23 October. In the report the Bank of Canada said the Canadian economy has undergone a strong expansion with more rapid growth than all other G-7 countries over the past year…
Dodge - Opening statement to finance committee
SPEECH - Opening statement by David Dodge, Governor of the Bank of Canada, before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, 23 October 2002.
Bank of Canada Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Bank of Canada releases its October Monetary Policy Report, 23 October.
Blattner on the euro and what it means for the SNB
SPEECH - In the speech 'The Euro: Implications for Switzerland and for the Monetary Policy of the Swiss National Bank' made on 22 October, Niklaus Blattner of the Swiss National Bank said Switzerland's experience of the euro has, so far, been mainly…
The Fed's Mark Olson on Urban Revitalization
SPEECH - In the speech 'Urban Revitalization: Shared Responsibilities' made on 22 October, Mark Olson of the Federal Reserve Board said that the history of community development policy and finance has been characterized as difficult, but it provides…
Prime Minister responds to Finland's Vanhala
FINLAND - Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen (Soc. Dem.) has responded to recent criticism of Finland's incomes agreement policy voiced by Matti Vanhala, Governor of the Bank of Finland.
Hayami pans adoption of inflation target for Japan
JAPAN - Bank of Japan Gov. Masaru Hayami on Thursday rejected the notion of adopting an inflation target as a means of helping to raise prices and fight deflation. "There is no data to support the procedure and the way to achieve it," Hayami told a…
Banks can park funds in infrastructure projects
ARTICLE - If the brief for a central bank is to guarantee liquidity in a milieu of low inflation and high forex reserves, the RBI can be said to have done more than its bit. On the supply side, RBI has been able to manage a dipping interest regime over…
Polish rate cut may be last - Balcerowicz
POLAND - Chairman of the Polish National Bank [NBP] Leszek Balcerowicz said on Thursday that October's interest rate reduction, that had surprised the market, did not have to mean another reduction.
Canada's c bank warns of spike in inflation
CANADA - The Bank of Canada said Wednesday economic growth will be lower than expected in the short term but inflation could still double the bank's target by year-end, as Canada continues to be pulled in opposite directions by uncertain global markets…
Lobby group warns UK on delaying euro entry
UK - Eight out of the 10 states poised to join the European Union could be ready for euro membership by 2007, increasing the risk that the UK will be isolated unless it joins soon, according to Britain in Europe.
US economy still stuck in doldrums
US - The US economy is struggling to break out of the doldrums, with widespread sluggishness infecting retail sales, according to a regular survey of business conditions by the Federal Reserve.