Central Banks
Zeti: Malaysia's growth exceeded expectations
Speaking on Monday 27 July, Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said that second-quarter economic growth has exceeded government expectations and the underlying trend is intact, according to Associated Press.
RBA adds an Education section to its website
The Reserve Bank of Australia has included an Education section on its website. The new section draws together information, already on the site, into key areas of interest to teachers and students of economics and finance.
Paul Krugman on Greenspan 'Dropping the Bonds'
Paul Krugman used to be a great admirer of Mr. Greenspan, he writes in his New York Times column. "But something has gone very wrong with the maestro", he suggests. He notes Greenspan's optimism in recent testimony that tax cuts and low interest rates…
Central bank forex intervention in Colombia
The IMF Working Paper "Central Bank Foreign Exchange Market Intervention and Option Contract Specification: The Case of Colombia" aims to identify appropriate option contract specifications for effective central bank exchange market intervention. The…
Japan should help guide yuan revaluation policy
This article in the Asahi Shimbun looks at the drive for revaluation of China's yuan, saying it first began in Japan where cheap imports from China are blamed for making domestic deflation worse. Japan needs an effective diplomatic strategy to influence…
BOJ's Muto cites side effects of JGB buying
In the text of a speech published on Friday 25 July, Bank of Japan deputy governor Toshiro Muto said "Buying of 1.2 trillion yen a month represents a significantly high pace", according to a Reuters report. He suggested the policy had had some negative…
Former BIS head Crockett joins JP Morgan
Sir Andrew Crockett is to join JP Morgan Chase International as an international ambassador, The Times reports. Crockett was one of the favourites to take over at the Bank of England after leaving the BIS earlier this year. The post, based in New York,…
South Korea central bank sees economic recovery
Governor Park Seung of the Bank of Korea said on Friday 25 July, according to Reuters, that the economy could enter a recovery phase in the final quarter of this year but for the present, "our economy is in a very difficult spot", he added.
Germany's deficit shouldn't widen - Remsperger
The Bundesbank's chief economist Herman Remsperger has urged fiscal restraint and welfare reform, according to Bloomberg, saying "Borrowing to cover today's spending will worsen finances for future generations".
MNB vice president Auth warns against wage index
Inflationary pressures could build up in the Hungarian economy if next year's wage rises are linked to planned tax changes, warned the vice president of the national bank of Hungary Henrik Auth in an interview with Reuters.
Fed can keep rates low as growth quickens - McTeer
In a speech to the Dallas Rotary Club, Reuters reports that Dallas Fed President Bob McTeer expressed optimism the economy would soon revive, even as he admitted a lack of "hard evidence" of a pickup.
Court summons Bank of Tanzania governor personally
The governor of the central bank of Tanzania, Daudi Balali, was due to appear in person at the High Court, Dar es Salaam on Friday 25 July, according to all Africa News. The civil case refers to an agreement signed on 25th April 1985 between the…
Polish Fin Min wants c bank help on foreign debt
Poland's finance ministry is seeking funds from the national bank at a preferential rate to use to repay part of Poland's foreign debt, so-called Brady bonds, according to Polish News Bulletin. Leszek Balcerowicz, president of the NBP, did not comment on…
EU needs a more 'intelligent' pact - Pascal Lamy
Speaking during a visit to China EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said the EU's Stability and Growth Pact needs to be "modernised and whipped into shape" and needs to be a more "intelligent" pact, according to EU Observer.
Reappointments to the RBA's Payments System Board
Australian Treasurer Peter Costello announced the reappointment of three members to the Reserve Bank of Australia's Payments System Board (PSB), 24 July.
RBNZ reduces OCR to 5.0 per cent
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand knocked a quarter percent off its main OCR interest rate Thursday. Governor Alan Bollard said on balance a further reduction seems appropriate today, with evidence continuing to suggest slowing economic activity.
BoJ's Fujiwara - Inside a Monetary Policy Meeting
In a speech on 'Inside a Monetary Policy Meeting' Sakuya Fujiwara of the Bank of Japan said transparency of the Bank of Japan's conduct of monetary policy has been enhanced by Monetary Policy Meetings. I attach special importance to increasing the…
McTeer speech to the Risk Management Association
In a speech before the Risk Management Association Bob McTeer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said the main reasons for expecting a stronger recovery are the prolonged and massive monetary easing, fiscal policy's move toward expansion, lean…
Ferguson on Basel II: Scope of Application in US
In a speech on 'Basel II: Scope of Application in the United States' Roger Ferguson of the Federal Reserve said we anticipate that U.S. banking organizations that account for 99 percent of the foreign assets and two-thirds of all assets of our domestic…
Interview with IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler
In an interview on "We Should Not Lose More Time" with Germany's manager magazin, IMF MD Horst Kohler talks about ways out of the world economy crisis. He is also asked if the Americans and the Japanese might be trying to solve their problems by…
Economy minister may take over at Peru c bank
Peru's president Alejandro Toledo may be planning further changes to his cabinet with Economy and Finance Minister Javier Silva touted as a replacement to Richard Webb at the central bank, Bloomberg reports.
ECB's Issing - No risk of inflation or deflation
Neither deflation nor inflation present risks for the eurozone economy at the moment. That was the assessment of Otmar Issing on Wednesday 23 July, according to Reuters, but if deflationary concerns emerge the ECB is ready to take various preventive…
Dinkic bids farewell
Speaking at a press conference to mark the end of his term as governor of the National Bank of Serbia Mladjan Dinkic urged the government and prime minister against interfering in monetary politics and commenting publicly on the state of the dinar,…
Governor of Bulgaria's central bank elected Sept
Latest estimates suggest Bulgaria will elect a new central bank governor in September, says Novinite. The farce which has dragged on for weeks looks set for completion then, Stanimir Ilchev, floor leader of the ruling Simeon II National Movement, said on…