Monetary Policy
IMF: monetary policy for vulnerable economies
The IMF has issued a working paper on 'Monetary Policy Rules for Financially Vulnerable Economies', noting, inter alia, that emerging market economies are not financially robust and are unable to smooth out large external shocks. The paper examines…
Swiss rates on hold
The Swiss National Bank kept its key interest rate unchanged and repeated that that it could intervene to stop an appreciation of the Swiss franc, according to a Dow Jones report.
Fukui calls emergency meeting
Toshihiko Fukui, the new governor at the Bank of Japan called an emergency meeting of the policy board for Tuesday morning, March 25, according to the Financial Times, fuelling expectations that the central bank intends to take further emergency measures.
New regulator means new focus for the PBOC
The creation of a new banking system regulator allows the People's Bank of China to concentrate on interest rate reform.
IMF reviews book on ME monetary policy
IMF review of 'Monetary Policy and Exchange Rate Regimes - Options for the Middle East', edited by Elina Cardoso and Ahmed Galal
Finance and economics of Papua New Guinea
In a speech at the 38th SEACEN Governor's Conference in Manila in February, the governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea, L Wilson Kamit, CBE, offered his overview of financial and economic developments in the country.
ECB's Issing downbeat on 'sluggish' euro growth
Speaking to the EU Parliament, the ECB 's chief economist, Otmar Issing observed that economic growth in the eurozone is expected to be 2% for the year, thoough this will put downward pressure on inflation, according to Reuters
Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, Spring 2003
REPORT - The Bank of England released its Quarterly Bulletin, Spring 2003, on 21 March. The Bulletin includes an article on "Monetary policy and the zero bound to nominal interest rates" which suggests that a deflation situation is highly unlikely to…
Bank of Canada - Annual Report 2002
ANNUAL REPORT - The Bank of Canada has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2002.
Bank of Canada confident inflation will edge down
The Bank of Canada published its annual report for 2002 on Thursday 20 March and struck a confident note on inflation. Within a year the rate is expected to fall back to around two percent, the report said. Governor Dodge reflected on the Canadian…
BoE: deflation spiral 'unlikely to hit Britain'
The Bank of England's quarterly bulletin published on Friday March 21 suggested that Britain was likely to avoid a deflationary cycle and that the zero bound for interest rates would not be tested, noted the Financial Times
US plans to seize Iraqi assets worldwide
Funds held worldwide by the Iraqi government will be seized and transferred to the New York Federal Reserve for holding, according to a BBC report. This includes money held under the names of the Central Bank of Iraq and the State Organization for…
Duisenberg to stay on at ECB?
Luxembourg's prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker said on his way to the EU Brussels summit starting on Friday night, March 21,that Wim Duisenberg could stay on, in his view, while uncertainty over his successor remains. Online reported him as saying that…
Bank of Canada appoints Desjardins to board
Jean-Guy Desjardins has been appointed to the board of directors of the Bank of Canada and will take up the position immediately, according to a report in the Toronto Star
ECB vote reform OK'd at EU summit
EU leaders agreed the proposal from the European Central Bank to reform the voting arrangements of its Governing Council, a spokesman for EU presidency holder Greece said on Friday.
Transatlantic rift not hurting central banks
Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday that the widening political rift between certain European countries and the US would not affect the transatlantic working relationship between central banks.
ECB ready to react to disturbances
The ECB reassured on Thursday that it was ready to react in the event of financial market disturbances after the start of military action against Iraq.
BoJ statement on the military action against Iraq
Statement made Thursday by the governor of the Bank of Japan at the onset of war hostilities.
Deutsche Bundesbank Monthly Report, February 2003
REPORT - The Bundesbank said in its February 2003 monthly report the recovery of the world economy slowed down noticeably in autumn 2002 even grinding to a halt in industrial countries. The report says this picture has changed little since the turn of…
Fukui taking charge
ARTICLE - This article looks at some of the pressures that will face the new governor of the Bank of Japan as he begins his term. As Toshihiko Fukui takes the BOJ helm, he faces an even more difficult economic situation than that confronted by Hayami,…
Israel's Treasury blasts central bank policy
A brochure published by Israel's Finance Ministry blames the central bank for much of the malaise dogging the country's economy. The brochure also described the Bank of Israel's monetary policy as "too restrictive".
Can Fukui pull isolated BOJ in from the cold?
ARTICLE - This article asks whether Fukui will tread his own monetary policy path in an effort to rid Japan of deflation and adopt unorthodox measures which Masaru Hayami steadfastly resisted.
ECB Press Release on the war in Iraq, 20 March
Statement of the ECB's Governing Council following the start of military action in Iraq, 20 March.
Federal Reserve hold rates steady amid uncertainty
Federal Reserve FOMC held rates steady at the meeting on Tuesday March 18. The Committee said in a press release that the hesitancy of economic expansion owes much to geopolitical uncertainties.