Monetary Policy
Sarkozy pledges to cut in deficit, sell reserves
French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to bring the country's deficit under control and also proposed to sell some of the gold held at the Bank of France.
Fed set to hold rates, but signal change in stance
Federal Reserve policy-makers were due to meet on Tuesday 4 May to plot the beginning of the end for the lowest U.S. official interest rates in 46 years. Some analysts believe there's a chance that the Fed might drop the word ''patient'' in its statement…
SADC: Central bank independence reduces inflation
Finance and development planning minister, Baledzi Gaolathe, told the SADC meeting of central bank governors in Botswana that countries where central banks enjoy independence had greater success in reducing inflation and improved micro economic…
Ethics for central bankers
The ejection of Ernst Welteke from the presidency of the Bundesbank has focused many central bankers on the issue of professional ethics. CentralBankNet examines how leading central banks navigate the issue.
Weber officially takes over at Bundesbank
Economics professor Axel Weber was formally appointed on Friday 30 April to head the Bundesbank, following Ernst Welteke's recent resignation. He can therefore attend the next meeting of the European Central Bank in Helsinki next week.
IMF to name new Managing Director Tuesday
The International Monetary Fund will announce its next managing director on Tuesday 4 May, board sources said on Thursday, Reuters reported. The job is widely expected to go to Spain's former economy minister, Rodrigo Rato.
New deputy head of Riksbank's Fin Stability dep't
The Executive Board of the Riksbank decided at its Wednesday meeting (April 28)to appoint Anders Kragsterman deputy head of the Financial Stability Department. He will take up this post during the autumn.
Yukos board approves Gerashchenko's candidature
The board of directors of the YUKOS oil company has approved former president of the central bank of Russia, Viktor Gerashchenko, to stand as a member of the board of the oil company.
Mugabe arrests his Finance Minister
Zimbabwe's finance minister was arrested on Saturday (24 April) on charges of dealing in foreign currency. He is the first senior official in President Robert Mugabe's government to be detained in a corruption crackdown.
Colin Powell linked to World Bank top job
A report in the New York Times this week said the buzz in the capital was that Colin Powell could be the next president of the World Bank.
Ex-CBK deputy governor in witness box
Former deputy Governor of the central bank of Kenya Eliphaz Riungu told the Goldenberg inquiry this week that he never opened accounts in the Indosuez Sogem Aval Ltd London branch bank for Central Bank of Kenya.
SNB's Hildebrand: Inside Europe, outside EMU
In the speech 'Inside Europe, outside EMU - Lessons and Outlook' given on 23 April, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said a lesson that can be drawn from the UK experience is that it would be wrong for Switzerland to advocate an EMU…
Bies on current issues in corporate governance
In a speech on 'Current issues in corporate governance' given on 26 April, Susan Bies of the Federal Reserve said it was important for banks to ensure their processes for determining loan-loss reserves were solid.
Papademos on five years of the euro
In a speech on 'Five years of the euro: past achievements and future challenges' given on 27 April, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said today we mark "The Euro at Five". The accomplishments of those five years are already substantial, he said, and we are…
SF Fed's Parry on globalization
In a speech on 'Globalization: Threat or Opportunity for the U.S. Economy?' given on 29 April, Robert Parry of the San Francisco Fed said the US economy benefits from companies' decisions to move jobs overseas because it creates new employment…
ECB welcomes the new EU Member States
On 1 May the European Union will have ten new Member States, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. In a press release Friday, Jean-Claude Trichet welcomed the ten saying "We look forward to…
Monetary policy is no panacea: ECB's Papademos
European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos said on Thursday 29 April that European Union governments cannot rely on monetary policy to cure structural economic problems.
Fukui says BOJ cannot commit to govt growth target
Toshihiko Fukui said in minutes released on Friday 30 April that while the Bank of Japan was committed to fighting deflation it could not commit to a specific growth rate, distancing the BOJ from a government growth target.
Issing says rate split suggestions 'sci-fi'
European Central Bank (ECB) chief economist Otmar Issing expressed concern on Thursday 29 April about sluggish growth in the 12-nation eurozone and dismissed suggestion of splits in the ECB over interests rates as "science fiction."
Nigeria gets new central bank governor
The Nigerian government announced on Thursday (29 April) the appointment of Professor Charles Soludo as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Also appointed by President Obasanjo was W. A. Mshelia, the first woman deputy governor of the…
Eurozone inflation estimate reaches ECB 'ceiling'
Eurostat released a preliminary estimate for April inflation in the eurozone Friday showing that the rate had risen to a higher than expected 2.0 per cent from 1.7 per cent in March.
Classical King
A while back we reported that Bank of England governor Mervyn King was spotted out at an hour-long symphony by Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich at London's Royal Festival Hall. Now a press report says, shock horror, he has been seen carrying a CD of…
Norway's Gjedrem on global economy
In a speech on 'Monetary policy and cyclical developments' given on 22 April, Svein Gjedrem of Norges Bank said there are clear signs that the global economy has passed the trough. It may take some time before interest rates are increased substantially…
Fed's Ferguson on global imbalances
In a speech on 'Global Imbalances' given on 23 Apri,l Roger Ferguson of the Federal Reserve said the probability of a disorderly decline in the value of the U.S. dollar is low and the American economy in general appears to be on track to remain in a …