Monetary Policy
Draghi rallies German public to support eurozone reforms
President of the ECB says “exceptional measures” may be required to ensure price stability; reaffirms commitment to independence and acting within mandate
BIS research analyses unconventional policies
Bank for International Settlements study examines unconventional policies employed during recession periods; compares the effects with other monetary tools
Iceland surveys market economic expectations
Central Bank of Iceland survey finds changes in inflation expectations; also a shift in the market’s perception of monetary policy
Mohanty says India must play catch-up
Reserve Bank of India executive director calls for efforts to recapture India’s pre-crisis growth rate; lays out income target and challenges
National Bank of Hungary cuts rates despite high inflation
Central bank cuts policy rate amid worsening growth figures and weak outlook; however, inflation expected to remain above 3% target “over a sustained period”
Draghi pulls out of Jackson Hole speech
President of the ECB stays in Europe on account of his “heavy workload”; statement comes shortly before plans for single banking supervision mechanism announced for eurozone
Japan’s Nishimura says UK Funding for Lending scheme needs time to work
Kiyohiko Nishimura discusses unorthodox policies central banks have been turning to; believes the BoE’s Funding for Lending scheme will take a long time to have “concrete benefits”
Bank of Thailand's Prasarn Trairatvorakul on the central bank's 70th anniversary
On the eve of its 70-year anniversary, Bank of Thailand’s governor, Prasarn Trairatvorakul, talks to Blair Baker about the central bank’s emerging role in domestic, regional and global economics
The puzzle of monetary policy
The centrepiece of macroeconomic management, inflation targeting by central banks, remains virtually unchallenged despite the crisis of the past five years. This needs to change, argues John Gieve
Where the BIS falls short
Robert Pringle compares the analysis and policy recommendations offered by the BIS in its latest annual report with those in his new book, The Money Trap
The beginning of the end for renminbi internationalisation?
The People’s Bank of China has surprised market watchers by taking critical steps to liberalise the renminbi and interest rate policy in the country
Keeping sight of the real inflation target
The appropriate construction of CPI indexes is vital to maintain public confidence in inflation targets. Jill Leyland points out issues in current index construction
Can Japan afford to grow?
Japan has managed to maintain living standards during its two ‘lost decades’, but its efforts to do so now represent obstacles to achieving sustainable growth. By Ryo Watabe.
Central Bank of Chile paper tests inflation forecast models
Working paper compares inflation forecast accuracy of new autoregressive model and “traditional” univariate models; finds improvement in short run but mixed results over longer horizon
BoJ’s Shirakawa calls for 'drastic deregulation' to promote growth
Masaaki Shirakawa sets out possibilities for encouraging increased investment to promote growth and inflation expectations; firms reluctant to borrow despite monetary easing
Former MPC member blasts “unduly powerful” future BoE governor
Ex-MPC member Kate Barker says new macro-prudential policy-maker should not be independent of government; shake-up of banking regulation system in the UK will leave governor too powerful
RBI minutes show disagreement over policy direction
Minutes of the Reserve Bank of India’s July meeting reveal divergent views on monetary policy; however members agree government is best placed to address weak growth and high inflation
BoE weighs distributional effects of QE
Paper assesses impact of quantitative easing on overall economy and examines distributional effects; finds main benefits for holders of assets and well-funded pension schemes
Macedonia seeks to influence expectations
National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia unveils new research programme; hopes to improve communication to better manage expectations
Bank of Namibia cuts rates due to uncertain economic outlook
Central bank reduces benchmark rate by 50 basis points; says cut necessary to support economy despite inflationary pressure and “rapid” growth in consumer credit
South African paper assesses micro data and policy responses
Sarb working paper explores pricing conduct at a micro-data-set level and how this affects monetary policy; finds results diverge from Bayesian estimation techniques
ECB paper finds new commodity transmission link for inflation
European Central Bank working paper explores relationship between demand shocks and inflation; reveals commodity prices indirectly magnify the effects
Some CPI indexes inappropriate for inflation targeting, says Leyland
Royal Statistical Society vice-president Jill Leyland assesses difficulties in constructing accurate inflation indexes; says consumer price indexes will “never be far from controversy”
Robert Pringle’s Viewpoint: Restoring trust in finance
The financial crisis and numerous scandals have shattered confidence in banks and financial markets. What can central bankers do to restore trust in the financial system?