Monetary Policy
As yuan breaches 8, focus shifts to Japan
According to this article published Wednesday 17 May, the dollar has fallen 6.4 percent against the yen this year, and Japanese officials aren't happy about it.
Launch of BoE's new framework
The Bank of England launched its new framework for the implementation of monetary policy to modernise sterling money markets on Thursday 18 May.
Minutes show BoE split 3 ways on rates
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was split three ways on this month's decision to keep interest rates at 4.5 percent, minutes released on Wednesday 17 May showed.
Comment: Bank of Japan update
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy committee meets this week with an interest rate decision expected on Friday. With any ideas of an imminent rate hike all but ruled out, the emerging consensus is that the shift could come in July.
Sweden's Persson on monetary policy
In the speech 'Monetary policy and the labour market' given on 12 May Kristina Persson of the Sveriges Riksbank said the importance of monetary policy lies not merely in the possibility to influence through temporary changes in the repo rate.
Framework for independent monetary policy in China
According to this IMF Working Paper, published 15 May, as China's economy becomes more market based and continues its rapid integration into the global economy, having an independent and effective monetary policy regime oriented to domestic objectives…
BoJ's Fukui on the outlook for Japan's economy
In the speech 'The outlook for Japan's economy and the conduct of monetary policy' given on 15 May Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said completing the process of reducing excess funds in the banking system and raising short-term interest rates are…
ECB not worried by dollar weakness says Liebscher
The European Central Bank is unperturbed by the dollar's current weakness and may still proceed with an interest rate increase next month, Austrian central bank chief Klaus Liebscher said in a newspaper interview published Tuesday 16 May.
Weber on oil price shocks and monetary policy
In the speech 'Oil price shocks and monetary policy in the euro area' given on 11 May Axel Weber of the Deutsche Bundesbank said the inflationary risks connected with runaway record oil prices are likely to increase as the economic recovery in the…
ECB's Trichet on two successes of the euro
In the speech 'Two successes of the euro: the single monetary policy and European financial integration' given on 11 May Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that the central bank is on high alert over inflationary dangers, is exercising "strong vigilance…
How bold a move from the ECB?
According to this article published Friday 12 May, a rate increase at the European Central Bank's upcoming meeting is almost certain, with estimates ranging between 25 and 50 basis points.
BoE's new money market framework
The Bank of England published on Monday 15 May the lists of banks and building societies participating at the launch of its new framework for implementing the Monetary Policy Committee's interest rate decisions.
China needs more central bank independence - IMF
A new paper from the International Monetary Fund says that China should adopt an explicit, long-run inflation objective, strengthen its banking sector, and give its central bank operational independence.
BoE's Walton sees more confidence in economy
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member David Walton was quoted on Friday 12 May as saying that policymakers are confident that the UK economy has clearly emerged from a soft patch early last year.
The little-noticed 'yet' in the Fed's statement
According to this article by John Berry, published Thursday 11 May, it was in the FOMC's statement explaining what may come next that "yet" appeared, signalling that after boosting the target at 16 consecutive meetings the committee probably will take a…
SARB Monetary Policy Review, May 2006
The South African Reserve Bank published its Monetary Policy Review for May 2006 on Thursday 11 May. Forecasts suggest that the inflation outlook has improved significantly, and there is evidence that inflation expectations and wage settlements are…
Fed raises rates to 5%
The Federal Open Market Committee decided Wednesday 10 May to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 5 percent. In its statement the FOMC said "some further policy firming may yet be needed."
Swedish Riksbank's board unanimous on decision
The minutes of the Swedish Riksbank's monetary policy meeting on 27 April showed it was unanimous in its decision to leave the repo rate unchanged at 2%.
Canada's Longworth on economic development
In the speech 'The crucial contribution of the financial system and monetary policy to economic development' given on 5 May David Longworth of the Bank of Canada emphasised that behind the abstract concept of financial system efficiency lies a very…
Fed Reserve Bank of St Louis Review, May/Jun 2006
The latest edition of the St Louis Fed's Review for May/Jun 2006 includes the article 'The learnability criterion and monetary policy'. The paper reviews some recent research that has emphasized methods for analyzing models of learning, in which…
A hands-off central banker?
According to the Working Paper "A hands-off central banker? Marriner S. Eccles and the Federal Reserve Policy, 1934-1951" published April 2006, the Federal Reserve after 1935 acquired new instruments to command monetary policy, but it did not change its…
Wages no bar to Fed pause after move tomorrow
There's no reason for Federal Reserve officials to stop thinking about a pause in raising interest rates after going to 5 percent when they meet tomorrow (Wednesday), according to this article published Tuesday 9 May.
Former Fed economist urges more transparency
There is cautious optimism that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke will bring real transparency to the US central bank, this article published Monday 8 May says.
Bank of Israel publishes minutes
The Bank of Israel said on Monday 8 May it will publish the minutes of meetings in which interest rates are fixed each month from now on.