Central Banks
IMF launches website in Arabic
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 11 launched an Arabic language section of its website that provides information about the IMF in Arabic.
The Riksbank on the result of the euro referendum
Statement by the Sveriges Riksbank on the decision of Sweden to reject the introduction of the euro on September 14. "The result of the referendum means that the forecasts of inflation in Sweden 1-2 years ahead will continue to determine the way monetary…
South African Reserve Bank - Annual Report 2003
The South African Reserve Bank has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2003. Developments and concerns about the growth prospects of major industrialised countries had a significant impact on South Africa's economic performance during the past…
HKMA Quarterly Bulletin, September 2003
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on September 15 published the latest issue of its Quarterly Bulletin. This issue contains feature articles including "The Profitability of the Banking Sector in Hong Kong" - analysing the evolution of profitability…
European Parliament on the referendum in Sweden
The Chair of the European Parliament's Committee of Economic and Monetary Affairs Christa Randzio-Plath said on September 15 that the Swedish euro vote shows that we politicians have been unable to get the message across to voters - that the Euro will…
Euro rejection will cost Sweden: Prodi
Sweden's "nej" to the euro on September 14 will have both an economic and political price to pay, European Commission president Romano Prodi said. Final results showed the vote split decisively in favour of the no's on 56% against 42% in favour of…
RBZ governor's post not offered to anyone
Highly-placed Government sources said at the weekend that the post of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor has not been offered to anyone, the Zimbabwe Herald said. Reports last week said that Government interference in the running of the RBZ was scaring…
Philippines central bank targeted with phone scam
Fraudsters in the Philippines are offering members of the public the chance to win the "anniversary raffle" of 2 million pesos, Reuters reported. People are told to call a number where they will hear a recorded message from the central bank governor…
China says no currency revaluation soon
Li Yang, a member of the People's Bank of China monetary policy committee, said China will keep the value of its currency, the yuan, stable but gradually allow it to trade in a wider range, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Bank of France expects modest recovery
The Bank of France said on September 15 it expects French gross domestic product to expand 0.3 percent on a quarterly basis between July and September, reversing the second quarter's 0.3 percent contraction, according to the Associated Press.
Malaysian c bank's Zeti says ringgit peg to remain
Malaysia's central bank chief Zeti Akhtar Aziz told reporters that the government will only make a review on re-pegging the ringgit if there is a significant fundamental structural change within the region, AFX Asia said.
Trichet's law
This article in the Financial Times accuses Jean-Claude Trichet of portraying himself on Thursday as less willing to understand the problems of the European economy than Wim Duisenberg, the current ECB president. His unfortunate choice of words was…
Polish central bank rapped over computer tender
The National Bank of Poland has caused uproar among computer producers after a tender it held for new machines allegedly favoured just one manufacturer, according to the Polish News Bulletin.
Bank of Japan leaves monetary policy unchanged
The Bank of Japan said on Friday 12 September at the end of its two-day meeting that it would leave monetary policy unchanged,according to AFX-ASIA. The BoJ said in a three-paragraph statement that the central bank will "conduct money market operations,…
Bank of Spain governor to appear before congress
The governor of the Bank of Spain, Jaime Caruana, is set to appear before a congressional commission on Wednesday 17 September to report on the way the central bank has handled the Eurobank situation, according to a report by Expansion.
UAE to take part in Arab c bank meeting in Doha
Sultan bin Nasser Al Suweidi, Governor of the UAE Central Bank, will lead the UAE delegation to the Doha meeting, according to the Khaleej Times. The meeting will include discussion of a paper submitted by the UAE on role of the monetary authorities in…
Iraq's central bank chief pledges to cut inflation
Sinan Al Shibibi, the newly appointed governor of the central bank of Iraq, said on Thursday 11 September that his top priorities were to fight inflation and to support the currency, according to the Gulf Daily News. But he acknowledged he has few of the…
US Treasury head praises IMF-Argentina deal
US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Thursday September 11 that he supported the IMF and Argentina for having reached a new three-year financial deal. He said, "I think we have come out with a pretty good agreement" although analysts widely condemned…
BOJ governor Fukui to visit China in October
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui will visit China in October and meet with the governor of the People's Bank of China, according to a report by Reuters. Fukui is likely to exchange opinions with Chinese officials on the yuan currency.
Charges against BSP governor dismissed
The Philippines Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed criminal charges filed against BSP Governor Rafael Buenaventura and 20 other central bank officials, according to a report by ABS-cbnews. In a resolution dated August 11 but obtained by reporters only…
International Monetary Fund - Annual Report 2003
The International Monetary Fund has published its Annual Report for the financial year ended 2003. In the Annual Report the IMF said it was reviewing the way it assists poor nations, a subject international aid groups have emphasized is a constant source…
Stark on The Euro Area as an Economic Entity
Speech titled 'The Euro Area as an Economic Entity' by Vice President Jurgen Stark of the Bundesbank to the CEPR/ESI conference, Eltville, 12 September. In the speech Stark said "my experience tells me that central bankers and academics alike are willing…
France in hot water at EU finance meeting
After meeting his British counterpart Tony Blair in London on Thursday 11 September, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin claimed a "common view" was emerging about the need not just to respect fiscal discipline but to go for growth as well.,…
Trichet lays down the gauntlet
Subjected to a grilling by its Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in one of the seemingly infinite rooms of the European Parliament's nightmarishly labyrinthine buildings in Brussels on September 11, Jean-Claude Trichet gingerly and with consummate…