Monetary Policy
Norway raises rates
Norway's central bank surprised markets by hiking its benchmark rate 25 basis points to 5% on Wednesday.
Slovakia holds rates
The National Bank of Slovakia decided to keep its benchmark rate at 4.25% on Tuesday.
Riksbank's Ingves justifies openness
Stefan Ingves, the governor of the Riksbank, said on Monday that the central bank chose to adopt a transparent monetary policy framework in order to become a more democratic and efficient institution.
Sentance links UK inflation with global economy
The openness of the UK economy makes inflation vulnerable to global forces in the short term said Andrew Sentance, an external member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, on Monday.
Hungary cuts rates, looks to abolish two coins
The National Bank of Hungary decided on Monday to lower its base rate by 25 basis points to 7.5% after announcing on Friday that it would withdraw its one and two forint coins.
Trichet responds to Sarkozy criticism
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, has again hit back at French president Nicolas Sarkozy's attempts to criticise and influence monetary policy.
Israel holds rates
The Bank of Israel decided on Monday to keep its interest rate at 4% as the strength of the shekel is counterbalancing rising prices and keeping inflation in check.
Mexico holds rates at 7.25%
The Bank of Mexico on Friday voted to keep its benchmark overnight lending rate at 7.25%.
Bank of England issues auction information
The Bank of England published on Friday details of its forthcoming term auctions.
Merkel defends ECB's independence
German Chancellor Angela Merkel implicitly criticised fellow head of government Nicolas Sarkozy of France when she said at an event to celebrate 50th anniversary of the Bundesbank that her government will block any attempts to exert political influence…
Riksbank deputy notes lessons of last 40 years
Lars Svensson, a recently-appointed deputy governor at Sweden's Riksbank, offered a "selective, eclectic, and possibly controversial" collection of lessons learned about monetary policy since 1967.
Kohn defends Fed against moral hazard claims
Donald Kohn, the vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve, defended the Federal Reserve against claims that its monetary policy feeds moral hazard because its responses to booms and busts in asset prices are asymmetrical.
Riksbank minutes from executive board meeting
The Sveriges Riksbank, the country's central bank, released the minutes of the most recent meeting of its rate-setting board on 6 September.
Taiwan raises interest rates again
Taiwan's central bank raised its key interest rates by a further 12.5 basis points, after an increase of 25 basis points in June. The move brings the discount rate to 3.25%.
November for Poland's next rate rise?
Marian Noga, a policymaker at Poland's central bank, said in an interview that it is likely the bank will next raise rates in November with two hikes in the new year.
MPC minutes show 9-0 vote to hold rates
Minutes from September's meeting of the Bank of England's rate setting Monetary Policy Committee show that all the members were in favour of keeping the cost of borrowing at 5.75%.
Japan keeps rates on hold
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy board decided to keep rates on hold at 0.5%.
Bank of England backtracks on money market tactics
In a remarkable about-turn, the Bank of England yesterday moved to inject liquidity into the longer-term money market by announcing plans to provide funds at three-month maturity against a wide range of collateral, including mortgages.
Bernanke's boost for global stock markets
Shares around the world surged on news of the Fed's half-point cut in interest rates.
Mervyn King - a governor in distress
No governor of the Bank of England in living memory - and very few governors of any industrial country - has come in for such an avalanche of media criticism as Mervyn King has suffered in recent days.
Treasury Committee calls for more MPC transparency
A report from the UK parliament's Treasury Committee, published Tuesday, says that the Bank of England should disclose how members of its rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted at the same time as it announces its interest rate decisions.
Latvia leaves rates unchanged
The Bank of Latvia decided on 13 September to leave key interest rates unchanged, with the refinancing rate remaining at 6%, overnight loans at 7.5% and the overnight deposit rate at 2%.
Fed cuts rates by half a point
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points at its Tuesday meeting in a bid to limit the impact of recent financial turmoil on the economy.
Fed looks set to lower interest rates
Ben Bernanke, the US Fed chairman, and his central bank colleagues meet on Tuesday to make their next decision on interest rates, and appear set to lower the 5.25% federal funds rate to prevent a housing collapse and credit crunch from forcing the US…