Monetary Policy
Korea's deputy PM calls for rate cut
Korea's Deputy Prime Minister for Finance and Economy Lee Hun-jai is reported to have urged the Bank of Korea to cut interest rates two days before the central bank is due to meet.
PBOC's Zhou says rigid ex rates pose 'huge risks'
Governor Zhou Xiaochuan of the People's Bank of China said the country's currency peg is a hazard for banks and companies, according to a published report.
BOJ's Iwata sees strong business investment in 05
Kazumasa Iwata, one of the Bank of Japan's two deputy governors, told a conference in Sydney that business investment in Japan was strong and will increase next year.
ECB and finance cheifs issue euro warning
The head of the central bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, joined the chairman of the 12 Eurozone finance ministers at a news conference to reinforce the message of a written statement.
Bundesbank lowers German growth forecast
The Bundesbank has revised downwards its forecast for growth of the German economy next year to 1.2-1.3% from an earlier prognosis of 1.5% strength of the euro hits exports from the eurozone's largest economy.
Implementing Basel II in Europe
In Europe, the task of ensuring a smooth transition to the Basel II capital rules for banks falls on the new Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS). Neil Courtis spoke to CEBS chairman, Jose Maria Roldan, for CentralBankNet.
Philadelphia Fed's Santomero on global economy
In a speech on 'Challenges and opportunities in a global economy: Perspectives on outsourcing, exchange rates, and free trade' given on 3 December. Anthony Santomero of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said the US economy should grow about 4 per…
Sweden's Heikensten on inflation outlook
Sveriges Riksbank governor Lars Heikensten spoke at a meeting organised by Handelsbanken in Gothenburg on 30 November about the current economic situation and monetary policy. In the speech he said that over the past year the Riksbank has held a positive…
Boston Fed's Minehan on November job report
The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston told a conference on globalisation on Friday 3 December that the November unemployment report was "somewhat disappointing".
Issing says factors for stronger growth 'in place'
European Central Bank Chief Economist Otmar Issing said in an interview published on Monday 6 December that the surge in oil prices hasn't prompted labor unions to raise their wage demands, and eurozone inflation is expected to fall back below 2 per cent…
No plan to divert from U.S. dollar-Japan's MOF
Japan, the biggest overseas holder of U.S. Treasuries, has no plan to divert from dollar-denominated assets, said Masatsugu Asakawa, a Ministry of Finance official.
ECB announces changes in senior management
The Executive Board of the European Central Bank announced on Thursday 2 December that it has decided on some changes in senior management at the ECB.
Interview with San Francisco Fed's Yellen
In an interview published this week, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Janet Yellen says in her spare time she enjoys running, and has run a few half-marathons. She describes her time at the White House as exciting and interesting…
The man who shaped the Federal Reserve
A new biography, "Chairman of the Fed: William McChesney Martin Jr. and the Creation of the Modern Federal Reserve System tells Martin's story as Fed chairman from 1951, when over the next 19 years, it says, he employed a combination of diplomacy,…
The shortest year of my life: Zimbabwe's Gono
It is one year since Gideon Gono took office as governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. This article looks back on Gono's first year and quotes him as saying "It has been one of the shortest years I've ever had to live in my 45 years of existence. The…
Fed's Bernanke on the logic of monetary policy
In a speech on 'The logic of monetary policy' given on 2 December, Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve said that official short-term interest rates are not an accurate gauge of how much stimulus or restraint policy-makers intend because most decisions…
RBA paper: News and interest rate expectations
The RBA Discussion Paper "News and interest rate expectations: A study of six central banks" analyses the effect of news relating to the expected path of monetary policy on interest rate futures. Results suggest that the impact of the RBA's communication…
Former MPC member to oversee Blunkett inquiry
Sir Alan Budd, a former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, has been commissioned by John Gieve, the Home Office permanent secretary, to undertake an "urgent investigation" into claims that Home Secretary David Blunkett fast…
Iwata on the euro from a Japanese perspective
In a speech on 'The euro from the Japanese perspective' given on 19 November, Kazumasa Iwata of the Bank of Japan said the case of the euro serves as a good model of a combination of both market selection and political will. On the other hand, in Asia,…
Slovak government considers two to replace Jusko
The Slovak government is considering two candidates to replace outgoing National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) governor Marian Jusko, CTK news agency reported this week.
National Bank of Ukraine's Tyhypko resigns
The head of Ukraine's central bank, Serhiy Tyhypko, resigned from his position on Monday 29 November to engage in politics full-time.
Bank Negara Malaysia appoints assistant governors
Bank Negara Malaysia announced on Wednesday that it had appointed Encik Muhammad Bin Ibrahim and Puan Nor Shamsiah Yunus to the post of Assistant Governor, effective from 1 December.
Mizuno says zero-rate policy beating deflation
New Bank of Japan policy maker Atsushi Mizuno said on Friday 3 December that the BOJ's zero-rate policy is overcoming deflation and the bank must look at potential side effects of maintaining its stance.
China announces 'prudent' economic polices for 05
China announced on Thursday 2 December economic planning adjustments for 2005 that will change current "pro-active" fiscal and monetary policies into more "prudent" measures.