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Australian Reserve Bank's credit-card plan slated
AUSTRALIA - MasterCard said it will consider scaling back its Australian operations if the central bank proceeds with its plan to cut credit-card fees and open the credit-card system to new participants.
Fed ready to raise rates this year - Guynn
US - The Federal Reserve may start reversing its series of 11 interest rate cuts if a stronger-than-expected recovery this year rekindles inflation concerns, says Jack Guynn, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Polish bank cautious about economic plan
POLAND - Two weeks after Poland's government issued an ambitious five-year strategy to kick-start slumping economic growth, the National Bank of Poland has maintained a stony silence.
Niedermayer to CNB board with effect from 27 Feb
CZECH REPUBLIC - President Vaclav Havel today re-appointed central bank CNB vice-governor Ludek Niedermayer to the Bank Board for another six-year term, with effect from 27 February.
Riksbank's general council backs extra dividend
SWEDEN - The General Council of Sweden's Riksbank Friday presented a proposal to the Swedish parliament recommending that an additional SEK20 billion of the central bank's net income for 2001 be transferred to the Treasury.
Dutch c bank issues credit derivatives guidelines
NETHERLANDS - The Dutch central bank said Friday that it has issued guidelines to the Dutch financial sector on the use of credit derivatives to spread risks.
Watch the Fed for clues to rise in gold sector
FEATURE - Gold has broken out and there is no shortage of theories as to why and where it's going from here. But, according to Chad Williams, investors should pay no attention to outlooks based on supply and demand, hedging, central bank sales or even…
Vietnam c bank governor has no bank account-media
VIETNAM - Vietnam's central bank Governor Le Duc Thuy, who is leading a campaign to reduce the country's reliance on cash transactions, has admitted he does not have a credit card, or a personal bank account.
Central bank research paper by Alain Durre
RESEARCH - Would it be optimal for central banks to include asset prices in their loss function? by Alain Durre, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
IMF News Brief
NEWS BRIEF - IMF's Kohler: Good Start to New Relationship with Argentina IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler said in Washington, D.C. today (13 February).
IMF Press Briefing by Thomas Dawson
PRESS BRIEFING - Transcript of a Press Briefing by Thomas Dawson, Director, External Relations Department, International Monetary Fund, 13 February.
Townhall Meeting with IMF and World Bank leaders
MEETING - IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler and World Bank President James Wolfensohn with Civil Society Representatives Participating in the International Conference on Poverty Reduction Strategies, moderated by Warren Nyamugasira, Uganda National NGO…
ECB Working Papers Series
RESEARCH - Performance of monetary policy with internal central bank forecasting, by Seppo Honkapohja and Kaushik Mitra, February 2002.
Speech by Jurgen Stark of the Bundesbank, 13 Feb
SPEECH - The speech was given on the presentation of the report "IT innovations and financing patterns: Implications for the financial system". The report was prepared by a Working Group of the Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS) composed of…
Speech by David Dodge of Bank of Canada, 31 Jan
SPEECH - In the speech Dodge said "Movements in the Canada-U.S. exchange rate do not yet appear to have reflected the recent developments in our economy. And to the extent that the recent depreciation of the Canadian dollar risks affecting consumer and…
Speech by Eva Srejber of Sveriges Riksbank, 13 Feb
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'A reunited Europe - the roles played by Sweden and the Riksbank' Srejber said "When the Riksbank makes its inflation forecasts, central and eastern Europe will move gradually from being a brief footnote to becoming an…
Latvian parl't approves Ruselis c.bank deputy head
LATVIA - A Latvian parliament spokeswoman said on Thursday lawmakers approved financier Andris Ruselis as the central bank deputy president, whose tasks will include preparing the country for eventual adoption of the euro.
ECB Feb bulletin - Reiterates Duisenberg remarks
GERMANY - The European Central Bank Thursday repeated that interest rates in the euro zone remain at an appropriate level and that it expects a gradual economic recovery this year.
Polish govt strategy breeds more caution
POLAND - Two weeks after Poland's left-wing government issued an ambitious five-year strategy to kick-start slumping economic growth, the National Bank of Poland has maintained a stony silence.
Russian gov't to suggest amendments to c bank bill
RUSSIA - The Russian government intends to suggest its amendments to the Bill on the Central Bank of Russia before the second reading, Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told reporters.
Havel to re-appoint Niedermayer to CNB Bank Board
CZECH REPUBLIC - President Vaclav Havel will re-appoint central bank CNB vice-governor Ludek Niedermayer, whose six-year mandate would expire on 27 February, to the Bank Board for another term on Friday, presidential spokesman Ladislav Spacek told CTK…
New US stock market rules unveiled
US - The US stock market regulator has proposed new rules for faster corporate disclosures, in the first reform taken in the wake of the Enron scandal.
Argentine peso strengthens
ARGENTINA - It is now three days since Argentina allowed its currency, the peso, to float freely for the first time in more than a decade and so far the peso has held its own, contrary to many experts' predictions.
Gay online bank shuts down
US - The first online bank aimed at the gay and lesbian community in the US is to close after admitting it could not make a profit in the current economic climate.