Central Banks
Ongoing reports of recovery add little to FOMC debate
Latest Beige Book shows economic activity expanding at a steady pace, while Esther George and Charles Evans take different sides in the FOMC’s inflation debate
Court rules against ECB in CCP case
European court finds ECB does not have authority to regulate securities clearing systems in the EU, upholding a UK plea against rules forcing CCPs to be located in the eurozone
BoJ’s Miyao extols virtues of open-ended QE
Outgoing policy board member says open-ended QE tends to have stronger effects than limited versions and may have additional impact via forward guidance and fiscal channels
RBI delivers second rate cut with inflation racing to target
The Reserve Bank of India surprised markets once again with an unscheduled rate cut of its key rate; analysts say this reduction shows trust in the government to maintain fiscal discipline
Sarb deputy governor fears for oil-exporting countries
The positive and negative shocks of falling oil prices are ‘asymmetric’ and the impact on oil-exporting countries could ‘elevate’ global financial stability concerns, warns Groepe
Fed officials debate research on equilibrium real rates
Research presented at US Monetary Policy Forum says uncertainty around equilibrium rate means the Fed should delay tightening policy; Loretta Mester and William Dudley discuss findings
Yellen sees ‘room for improvement’ on risk management
Fed chair says banks have strengthened their risk management, internal controls and governance, but more can be done and supervisors will be ‘watching closely’
Key rate hiked to 30% in Ukraine to stop currency slump
Ukraine’s central bank hikes interest rate to its highest level in 15 years, as part of a set of measures to combat the slump in the currency and battle inflation
Largest banks clear Basel hurdle for first time
Latest monitoring report finds large internationally active banks all now meet minimum capital requirements; EBA sees capital falling under full implementation of European requirements
ECB concerned by plans for Slovenian central bank law
The institution, led by Mario Draghi, voices concern over draft amendments that would give the national assembly powers to fire board members and their impact on ‘personal independence’
ECB revisits virtual currencies in new report
Research concludes virtual currencies do not pose ‘material risk’ to central bank operations in eurozone, but could if they become more widely used or entwined with the real economy
IMF researchers add eurozone detail to fund’s global projection model
Working paper adds ‘blocks’ for Germany, France, Italy and Spain to the model in an effort to capture the dynamics in the eurozone in greater detail
Colombian paper analyses relationship between term premia in US and Latin America
Brazil and Colombia are the Latin American countries with the largest responses to changes in the US term premium, according to research published by the Central Bank of Colombia
Uganda governor troubled by effect of low oil prices on public finances
Uganda must have a ‘far-sighted long-term fiscal policy’ that recognises the threat falling oil prices pose to the health of public finances, argues central bank governor
Carney targets 'strategic’ approach to market intelligence
BoE governor Mark Carney sheds light on some of the recent changes to the way the central bank gathers market intelligence in Treasury Select Committee hearing
EU court to rule on UK challenge to ECB's clearing policy
Verdict due on March 4 in first of three UK complaints about eurozone clearing oversight; ECB policy calls for some firms clearing euro-denominated products to be incorporated in the eurozone
People: Blejer named adviser to Bank of Albania governor; Chile gets new statistics head
Mario Blejer, a former governor of Argentina’s central bank, will serve as an adviser to the new Bank of Albania governor; Central Bank of Chile names new statistics head; and more
Philadelphia Fed names Patrick Harker president
Charles Plosser retired yesterday and Patrick Harker will take the reins in July; his background includes a host of academic posts and a spell on the Philadelphia Fed board
Plosser and Conti-Brown debate Fed governance reforms
Peter Conti-Brown proposes giving the Fed’s board of governors the power to appoint and remove Reserve Bank presidents; Charles Plosser rejects arguments in his response
RBI gets formal inflation target
Reserve Bank of India tasked with getting inflation below 6% by January and handed a 4% target to chase from then; governor retains sole responsibility for setting monetary policy
Richmond Fed article questions use of dove and hawk to describe policy-makers
Article in Richmond Fed’s economic magazine argues the terms simplify the disagreements on the FOMC; says the idea of a split between two camps is ‘likely to persist’