Monetary Policy
Bank of Finland paper analyses Chinese monetary policy
Discussion paper assesses the use of non-market monetary policy in China; finds policy tools are effective at controlling inflation but this depends on source of economic shocks
BoJ minutes reveal unanimous vote for rate hold
Minutes of Bank of Japan’s June monetary policy meeting show unanimous support for rate hold; say deflation a 'critical challenge'
Bank of Canada holds rates steady
Governing council decides to keep benchmark rate at 1%; says modest tightening of monetary policy may be justified if recovery continues
Bernanke blames Europe and fiscal cliff for stalling recovery
Chairman of the Federal Reserve says two main risks to economic improvement in the US are eurozone woes and looming fiscal cliff; urges lawmakers to act promptly
Bundesbank paper studies changes in European monetary transmission
Discussion paper considers effect of financial crisis on transmission of European Central Bank monetary policy; finds decrease in sensitivity of Euribor to changes in central bank rates
Atlanta Fed president weighs further policy action
Dennis Lockhart assesses need for additional monetary easing in the US; argues further stimulus likely to have limited effect and says current forecast 'untenable' if economy continues to deteriorate
San Fran Fed president says asset purchases are ‘effective tool’
John Williams gives overview of mixed outlook for US economy; says ‘Operation Twist’ likely to have modest impact and argues asset purchases would be ‘most effective tool’ if further action is required
ECB paper models policy interaction
Working paper examines the benefits of co-ordinating monetary and macro-prudential policies; finds separation of regimes can damage macroeconomic stability
Fed policy-makers hint at further stimulus
Minutes of the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting show a number of members discussing further stimulus possibilities; moderate growth expected but also heightened risk
Eurosytem and Mediterranean central bankers gather in Morocco
Central bankers meet to discuss economic and financial developments, monetary policy implementation and macro-prudential policies and financial stability
‘Unofficial dollarisation’ raises significant stability risks, ECB study finds
Emerging markets with large holdings of ‘hard’ currency assets and liabilities are exposed to substantial stability risks and policy failure, finds ECB study
Brazil and South Korea cut rates amid economic gloom
Central Bank of Brazil and Bank of Korea cut interest rates due to poor economic outlook and declines in indicators; Brazil marks eighth consecutive reduction while Korea makes first cut since 2009
SNB paper links low interest rates and housing bubbles
Swiss National Bank working paper finds strong relationship between low short-term rates and housing bubbles; argues house prices can be controlled by following ‘Taylor rule’
National Bank of Serbia annual report reviews policy changes
Annual monetary policy report highlights shift in mid-2011 towards monetary easing in Serbia; says pressure from food prices caused inflation to repeatedly overshoot target in first half of year
SNB paper evaluates central bank communication strategies
Swiss National Bank working paper examines two communication strategies designed to reduce market overreaction to announcements
NBS paper measures impact of productivity differentials
National Bank of Serbia working paper studies effect of differing productivity growth between sectors and countries; finds impact on inflation and exchange rates
Draghi says closer union will achieve stability in Europe
Mario Draghi says quality of reforms and implementation ‘absolutely essential’; sets out vision of future union based on financial, fiscal, economic and political integration
Regional Fed presidents express fears over economic recovery
Charles Evans and Eric Rosengren warn about struggling economic recovery; focus on employment figures as key indicator of persistent problems in the US
ECB’s Asmussen stresses importance of central bank communication
ECB board member Jörg Asmussen underscores need for effective communication by central banks; says crisis has ‘shifted the goalposts’
McCafferty to replace Posen on BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee
UK Treasury names CBI economics adviser, Ian McCafferty, to replace Adam Posen on the Bank of England’s monetary policy board
Danish central bank acts to counter negative interest rate
National Bank of Denmark lowers certificates of deposit rate to -0.2%; raises banks' current account limits to help them keep funds away from negative rate
Hungarian central bank blasts government tax plan
National Bank of Hungary says government plans for financial transaction tax threatens central bank independence; levy is latest development in conflict between central bank and government
PBoC moves to bolster bank lending with asymmetric rates cut
Chinese central bank cuts interest rates and expands bank lending bands for the second time in a month to combat sluggish growth
Markets recoil as major central banks ease policies
Chinese, European and UK central banks take monetary policy action; moves leave no doubt about gloomy global economic picture as eurozone stock markets fail to rally