Monetary Policy
Farmer says ‘qualitative easing' should be a permanent tool
The ability of a central bank to alter the composition of the assets it holds is a powerful tool in the fight against unemployment and economic stagnation, and should be kept on hand at all times
John Taylor calls for international policy co-ordination
Paper published today by the BIS says recent unusual monetary policies have been appropriate and benign - and international co-ordination could lead to an international co-operative equilibrium
Bank of Greece says new banking model needed to sustain recovery
The country's economy is ‘stabilising', according to the central bank's annual report on monetary policy, but until the banking sector returns to health, alternative funding channels will be needed
Robert Pringle's Viewpoint: Towards a Central Bank of Scotland
As in the 1930s, the global financial crisis is causing geo-political fallout, including increased latent tensions in Britain’s constitutional arrangements and international alliances
Monetary transmission not to blame for weak bank lending in Brazil, IMF paper finds
Fewer loans due to shift in demand and possibly rapid expansion of state bank credit; if anything, sensitivity of lending to Selic rate changes seems to have increased, according to author
Carney defends forward guidance as UK unemployment falls closer to BoE threshold
Bank of England governor says reaching 7% unemployment threshold does not presuppose monetary tightening, but rather incorporates a deliberate buffer before full employment is reached
RBA's Stevens says 2013 ‘not as bad as feared'
Reserve Bank of Australia governor tells parliamentarians there will be turbulence ahead when the Fed starts to ‘taper'; reminds that monetary policy alone cannot kick-start economic growth
Carney: UK businesses ‘understand forward guidance well'
New governor's policy of providing guidance on future interest rates is useful for businesses and households, he says - despite financial markets apparently not believing it
IMF could help overcome ‘myopia' on international monetary policy co-operation
IMF deputy head of research Jonathan Ostry argues in new paper with Atish Ghosh that international macro policy co-ordination could bring global welfare benefits, with IMF playing a central role
Riksbank cuts rates on falling inflation, leaning less against the wind
Swedish central bank cuts interest rates by 25bp to 0.75% to counter falling inflation; household debt levels still a risk, says Ingves, but calls on ‘others' to do more to keep them in check
ECB working paper finds indebted countries should pursue austerity at ZLB
Model seeks to incorporate effects of government debt when examining how to tackle a liquidity trap at the zero lower bound
Stick to inflation targeting, Grimes tells central banks
Central bankers should stick to what they do best – keeping inflation in check – without taking on multiple targets that damage their credibility, says recently retired RBNZ chairman Arthur Grimes
Australia PM adds to RBA intervention momentum
Tony Abbott says central bank has sufficient reserves to 'intervene prudently and appropriately' in forex markets; Glenn Stevens 'suspects' the market will spare the RBA the need to act
Bank of Canada's Poloz says economic models 'better source of questions than answers'
Governor warns Canadian household imbalances could eventually result in 'sharp correction'; argues deflation still bigger concern than 'explosion in inflation' prompted by loose monetary policy
Italian paper finds government spending multipliers less than 1 at ZLB
The multiplier can go above 1 only when monetary policy is held constant for at least five years - but can still be reduced by elevated sovereign risk, researchers find
Interest rates best transmit South African monetary policy, say researchers
New Sarb paper analyses five transmission channels for a monetary policy shock, finding interest rates to be the strongest, and asset prices the weakest
Bank of Thailand MPC insists rising inflation is ‘not immediate threat’
Minutes from November meeting show the committee voted to cut rates for the second time in six months despite one member’s concerns that inflation could continue to pick up in 2014
Lagarde calls for pre-emptive action on eurozone deflation
IMF managing director says the ECB should act to shore up eurozone inflation and find ways of getting credit to SMEs; Draghi says ECB must pursue price stability by all means necessary
Fed presidents weigh in on QE as job numbers improve, debt ceiling showdown looms
Five of 12 regional Fed presidents have staked out their positions on bank's asset purchases in recent days as FOMC gears up for next meeting on December 17
UK can escape ‘liquidity trap', Carney says
Mark Carney tells New York audience the Bank of England's joint responsibility for monetary and financial policy allows it to stimulate the economy while avoiding unbalanced growth
Kuroda calls for research into political constraints on monetary policy
Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda stresses the need to understand more about the ‘political and administrative feasibilities’ that bind monetary policy
MAS launches two-year technical assistance programme for neighbouring central banks
The Monetary Authority of Singapore will provide training activities and forums for 190 central bank officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam between now and 2015
Reserve Bank of New Zealand looks to ramp up ‘alternative' communication
RBNZ doubles down on speeches and alternative media channels such as videos and infographics to cut through post-crisis ‘noise'; follows Riksbank's communication strategy overhaul earlier this week
Link between ECB liquidity ops and interbank repo breaks down in crisis
Researchers at the New York Fed find that the relationship between ECB monetary policy operations and interbank borrowing did not survive the collapse of Lehman Brothers and associated crisis