Monetary Policy
Yellen approved as Fed chairwoman
US Senate approves Janet Yellen as Federal Reserve's first female chair, in closest vote to date; adjusting unconventional policies to improving economic conditions ‘greatest challenge', says analyst
Philippines governor unperturbed by inflation surge
Amando Tetangco insists the inflation environment is ‘manageable’ despite annual CPI almost doubling in the past four months; central bank hits target for fifth consecutive year
SNB loses $16 billion on gold
The Swiss National Bank expects to report a loss of 10 billion dollars for 2013 as heavy valuation losses on its gold holdings outweigh forex gains and StabFund profits
US Fed heads debate slow growth ‘riddle'
Presidents of four regional reserve banks at odds over whether weak trajectory in wake of the financial crisis is inherently structural or cyclical
Lagarde warns of single currency ‘challenge’ in East Africa
IMF managing director Christine Lagarde tells the East African Community to learn from the genesis of other monetary unions across the globe
Kuroda draws on lessons from Paul Volcker’s Fed tenure
Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda points to Paul Volcker’s success in lowering inflation expectations in the United States as proof of central banks' ability to influence markets
IMF urges full recapitalisation of Ugandan central bank
The Bank of Uganda was recapitalised by the government in June 2013, but further capital injections will depend on the central bank's ability to ‘streamline’ operational costs
RBI's Mohanty reviews policy through crisis years
India's central bank joined its counterparts around the world in using unconventional monetary policy to tackle the financial crisis, and the effects of Fed taper
Chilean central bank puts rate cuts on pause
Minutes from the board’s December meeting reveal members were concerned about spooking markets and wanted to buy time to assess earlier easing
Sri Lankan central bank remodels benchmark rates
Central bank renames its two key interest rates and cuts one of them as money markets normalise and inflation continues to fall
Farmer says ‘qualitative easing' should be a permanent tool
The ability of a central bank to alter the composition of the assets it holds is a powerful tool in the fight against unemployment and economic stagnation, and should be kept on hand at all times
John Taylor calls for international policy co-ordination
Paper published today by the BIS says recent unusual monetary policies have been appropriate and benign - and international co-ordination could lead to an international co-operative equilibrium
Bank of Greece says new banking model needed to sustain recovery
The country's economy is ‘stabilising', according to the central bank's annual report on monetary policy, but until the banking sector returns to health, alternative funding channels will be needed
Robert Pringle's Viewpoint: Towards a Central Bank of Scotland
As in the 1930s, the global financial crisis is causing geo-political fallout, including increased latent tensions in Britain’s constitutional arrangements and international alliances
Monetary transmission not to blame for weak bank lending in Brazil, IMF paper finds
Fewer loans due to shift in demand and possibly rapid expansion of state bank credit; if anything, sensitivity of lending to Selic rate changes seems to have increased, according to author
Carney defends forward guidance as UK unemployment falls closer to BoE threshold
Bank of England governor says reaching 7% unemployment threshold does not presuppose monetary tightening, but rather incorporates a deliberate buffer before full employment is reached
RBA's Stevens says 2013 ‘not as bad as feared'
Reserve Bank of Australia governor tells parliamentarians there will be turbulence ahead when the Fed starts to ‘taper'; reminds that monetary policy alone cannot kick-start economic growth
Carney: UK businesses ‘understand forward guidance well'
New governor's policy of providing guidance on future interest rates is useful for businesses and households, he says - despite financial markets apparently not believing it
IMF could help overcome ‘myopia' on international monetary policy co-operation
IMF deputy head of research Jonathan Ostry argues in new paper with Atish Ghosh that international macro policy co-ordination could bring global welfare benefits, with IMF playing a central role
Riksbank cuts rates on falling inflation, leaning less against the wind
Swedish central bank cuts interest rates by 25bp to 0.75% to counter falling inflation; household debt levels still a risk, says Ingves, but calls on ‘others' to do more to keep them in check
ECB working paper finds indebted countries should pursue austerity at ZLB
Model seeks to incorporate effects of government debt when examining how to tackle a liquidity trap at the zero lower bound
Stick to inflation targeting, Grimes tells central banks
Central bankers should stick to what they do best – keeping inflation in check – without taking on multiple targets that damage their credibility, says recently retired RBNZ chairman Arthur Grimes
Australia PM adds to RBA intervention momentum
Tony Abbott says central bank has sufficient reserves to 'intervene prudently and appropriately' in forex markets; Glenn Stevens 'suspects' the market will spare the RBA the need to act
Bank of Canada's Poloz says economic models 'better source of questions than answers'
Governor warns Canadian household imbalances could eventually result in 'sharp correction'; argues deflation still bigger concern than 'explosion in inflation' prompted by loose monetary policy