Monetary Policy
Fed's Bernanke wants public inflation objective
Fed governor Ben Bernanke told the St Louis Fed's inflation targeting conference on Friday 17 October that in the current climate of low inflation, it was important to keep the public informed about the Fed's long-run intentions, according to Reuters…
Heikensten: Introduction to monetary policy
In the speech 'Introduction to monetary policy' given on 16 October Lars Heikensten of the Sveriges Riksbank said the Riksbank's assessment is now that continued stable growth in incomes, wealth and employment will contribute to smooth and relatively…
Macfarlane on Asia's role in Australia's economy
In a speech on 'Asia's Role in Australia's Economic Future' given on 16 October I.J. Macfarlane of the Reserve Bank of Australia highlighted the vital role of Asia in our economic future. He said that in recent years, Australia had "lost sight" of Asia's…
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey, Oct 2003
Activity in the region's manufacturing sector improved in October, according to firms polled for the Philadelphia Fed's Business Outlook Survey, October 2003. Most of the current indicators increased this month, the report finds, and manufacturers' six…
Inflation target could insulate Fed, Poole says
St. Louis Fed President William Poole said on Thursday 16 October that the Federal Reserve should adopt a target for an acceptable level of inflation in part to insulate itself from political pressures. He was speaking at the start of a two-day…
Eurozone recovery still fragile - ECB's Issing
The ECB's Chief Economist Otmar Issing said on Thursday 16 October that while the eurozone's recovery was still fragile it should gain strength next year, Reuters reports. He said the rise in the cost of oil did not provide a reason to change the ECB's…
Japan's economy minister: how to end deflation
Economy minister Heizo Takenaka has said that Japan's deflation could be overcome if the Bank of Japan can increase money supply growth and the government were able to increase demand through deregulation and clean up the banking system, according to the…
Look to Asia, urges RBA chief
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane has said that itsi time to look again at Asia's place in the economic future of Australia, ABC News reports.. Delivering a lecture in Sydney, he said that now the dust of the Asian crisis had largely…
International policymakers' comments on Trichet
Following Jean-Claude Trichet's formal appointment as the President of the European Central Bank, this article published by Reuters provides a selection of comments from international policymakers about Trichet. European Commission President Romano Prodi…
Daunting tasks await suave new ECB head Trichet
Jean-Claude Trichet was appointed President of the European central bank on Thursday but, according to Reuters, faces daunting challenges at the helm of the fledgling central bank including weak global growth, European budget rows, a tumbling dollar and…
ECB rejects plan to cut Finland's capital base
In a statement issued on Thursday 16 October, the European Central Bank rejected the proposal to decrease the Bank of Finland's capital base by some 700 million euros, according to Reuters, and the proposal to transfer all the central bank's profits to…
Federal Reserve on New York Fed's appointment
Statement from the Federal Reserve, 15 October, on the appointment of Timothy F. Geithner's appointment as President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Biographical summary for Timothy Geithner
Timothy Geithner, comparatively young for the position of President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at 42, rose rapidly after joining the US Treasury in 1988, emerging as a key figure during the 1990s international financial crises and becoming…
Federal Reserve Board - Beige Book, October 2003
The Federal Reserve Beige Book released on 15 October suggests that, on balance, the pace of economic expansion has picked up since the last report. Ten of the twelve districts indicate that activity has been expanding, while two--Boston and Cleveland-…
Sveriges Riksbank holds interest rates steady
The central bank of Sweden, the Sveriges Riksbank, held its repo rate unchanged at 2.75 per cent, 16 October. The risks in the inflation outlook are largely the same as before. However, the probability of lower inflation due to slacker international…
Trichet's successor may face reduced role
Former vice-president of the ECB Christian Noyer could be named as a replacement to Jean-Claude Trichet at the Bank of France, notes the Financial Times, but Herve Hernoun could also take the job as a less political choice. Whatever the case, the new…
PBOC to strengthen cooperation with US Treasury
The People's Bank of China will launch a technical cooperation program with the United States Treasury Department which would facilitate communication and cooperation between financial experts of the two countries, according to a bank spokesperson quoted…
SARB cuts repo rate by 1.5%
With effect from Friday 17 October, reports Business Africa, the South African Reserve Bank will cut its main repo rate to 8.5 percent, Tito Mboweni said at the end of the two-day meeting by the SARB's Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday.
IMF official is named President of New York Fed
Timothy F. Geithner, 42, was named president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Wednesday 16 October, according to the New York Times. The appointment brings to an end the nine-month search for a replacement for William…
Fed's survey finds recovery in most areas
The Federal Reserve's Beige Book, released on Wednesday 15 October, said "On balance, the pace of economic expansion has picked up since the last report", according to Associated Press. The Current Economic Conditions survey, known as the Beige Book, is…
EU leaders to meet Trichet after ECB confirmation
After his confirmation as President of the European Central Bank, which was due to take place on Thursday 16 October at a two-day summit in Brussels, Jean-Claude Trichet was scheduled to meet EU leaders, according to EU Business. The EU's Italian…
Central Banks and Supreme Courts by C Goodhart
This Working Paper from the Financial Markets Group claims that a significant, large part of the reason for the differing procedures of the legal and monetary policy bodies in the UK, USA, and EU derives from a political science root. How do you deal…
BoE's King on the monetary policy framework
In his first speech as Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King said on 14 October that the present monetary and fiscal frameworks provide a seaworthy policy vessel, but, as all sailors know, fog, especially statistical fog, can be dangerous. So we…
Ferguson: Future of Financial Services--Revisited
In the speech 'The Future of Financial Services--Revisited' given on 8 October Roger Ferguson of the Federal Reserve said the need for Basel II arises because modern risk measurement and management practices, including the increasing ability to…