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MPC member sees room for interest rate fall
FEATURE - Kate Barker's views go against the consensus in financial markets, however.
Koizumi criticised for slow pace of reform
JAPAN - A key adviser to Japan's Junichiro Koizumi yesterday criticised the prime minister for lacking concrete plans for structural reform and failing to implement the pledges he made on coming to office in April.
Argentine deal set to speed budget approval
ARGENTINA - Argentina's Congress was finally due to start discussing this year's budget yesterday, after the government reached a funding agreement with provincial governors on Wednesday night. That deal should mean rapid approval of the budget and could…
German minister sees early UK use of euro
GERMANY - Hans Eichel, Germany's finance minister, yesterday predicted that Britain would join the euro "in the not too distant future", in comments likely to renew debate on the single currency.
Kidnapped central bank president is released
GUATEMALA - Lizardo Sosa, head of the Guatemalan Central Bank, was released Thursday after family members paid a "minimal" ransom to the kidnappers who grabbed him three days ago, according to the latest official account.
Sweden inflation above expectation - Persson
SWEDEN - Swedish inflation is higher than the central bank had expected because it may have over-estimated the economy's production capacity, deputy central bank governor Kristina Persson said on Thursday.
Speech by K Persson of Sveriges Riksbank, 28 Feb
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The Riksbank, growth and inflation' Persson said that inflation had exceeded the central banks forecast because it may have over-estimated the economy's production capacity.
Greenspan urges US to save
UK - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has called savings an important component of the economy and urged a national consensus on balancing savings and risk-taking while preserving productivity.
Federal Reserve Board Currency and Coin
REPORT - Payment Systems, 2001 data for currency and coin, 28 February.
Speech by Susan Schmidt Bies of the Fed, 28 Feb
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Strengthening the Financial System of the 21st Century through Sound Accounting and Disclosure' Bies said "It has become clear in recent months that some companies have not been completely transparent in their application…
Speech by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, 28 February
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Saving for retirement' Greenspan said "The level of saving remains a key ingredient of economic growth, but we need to know whether the source of that saving is sustainable."
Czech Nat Bank vice-governor reappointed
CZECH REPUBLIC - As expected, President Vaclav Havel has reappointed Ludek Niedermayer, a vice-governor of the Czech National Bank (the central bank), to a second six-year term on the bank's rate-setting board.
Journal of Policy Modeling paper
RESEARCH - The European Monetary Union: were there alternatives to the ECB? A quantitative evaluation by Warwick J. McKibbin and Tomas Bok.
Journal of Economics and Business paper
RESEARCH - Information asymmetry in disclosure of foreign exchange risk management: can regulation be effective? By Andrew P. Marshall and Pauline Weetman.
Journal of Economics and Business paper
RESEARCH - The stock market performance of the central banks of Belgium and Japan by Lawrence G. Goldberg and Rezaul Kabir.
Journal of Banking & Finance paper
RESEARCH - Risk management and the credit risk premium, Tim Rene Adam.
Amendment of BI law to be completed soon
INDONESIA - The House of Representatives and government officials are expected to finish debate over the amendment of the central bank law within two weeks.
RBI panel moots pool of bank directors
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) consultative group of directors of banks and financial institutions has recommended creating a pool of independent directors - approved by the RBI - to join various bank boards.
Welteke: Past rate cuts will still show effect
GERMANY - Current price developments in the euro zone are "positive", but past interest rate cuts have yet to fully show their effect, Deutsche Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke said Wednesday.
BofE's George gives evidence at Treasury Committee
FEATURE - Giving evidence to the UK House of Commons Treasury Committee on Thursday, Sir Edward George, Governor of the Bank of England, said he anticipates recovery for the UK economy but that it would be slow.
South African gold output falls sharply
SOUTH AFRICA - South African production of gold slipped by more than 8% in 2001, the Chamber of Mines of South Africa has reported.
Pakistan's central bank governor doing 'fine'
PAKISTAN - Following on from a heart attack scare recently we learn that Dr Ishrat Husain is now doing fine.
Argentina debates crisis budget
ARGENTINA - Argentine leaders are on Thursday expected to debate an austerity budget aimed at finding a way out of the country's economic crisis.
Federal Reserve Board Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - The Federal Reserve Board announced on Wednesday that the Consumer Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, March 14. The meeting will take place in Dining Room E, Terrace level, in the Board's Martin Building. The session…