Monetary Policy
Global central banks cut as system teeters
Six central banks have taken the unprecedented step of cutting rates by half a point in unison in an attempt to avert a global financial-market meltdown.
HKMA cuts discount rate by full percentage point
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Wednesday cut the rate at which it lends to banks through its discount window by 100 basis points.
Australia slashes rates by 100 basis points
The Reserve Bank of Australia shocked markets on Tuesday, opting to cut its key rate by a full percentage point to 6%, the steepest margin since 1992.
High commodity prices and the Canadian dollar
A new paper from the Bank of Canada examines the impact of the recent surge in energy and non-energy commodity prices on the loonie.
China's impact on global inflation
Research from the Bank of Canada examines the effect of China on the inflation rate in other countries.
Bundesbank's Weber on monetary policy
Monetary policy should react to the financial cycle in a more symmetric way, said Axel Weber, the president of the Bundesbank.
Phillips curve is flattening
A new paper from the Reserve Bank of Australia finds that the Phillips curve, which measures the relationship between unemployment and inflation, has flattened in recent years.
Trichet comments raise prospect of December cut
The European Central Bank (ECB) kept rates on hold again on Thursday, but more-dovish-than expected comments from Jean-Claude Trichet, the central bank's president, signalled the Governing Council could cut before the end of 2008.
Trichet: Slovakia should go further with reforms
Slovakia's government should implement structural reforms to foster price stability, said Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank.
Turkey justifies September hold
The Central Bank of Turkey's rate-setting committee in September opted to keep rates on hold despite an improvement in the inflation outlook.
Fed's Fisher still warning on inflation
Richard Fisher, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve who is considered the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) most hawkish member, has signalled that he would still not back a rate cut.
Issues for central banks' collateral frameworks
Research from the International Monetary Fund highlights four issues for central banks' collateral frameworks.
RBA justifies September rate cut
A slowdown in demand allowed for a cut in the cash rate by 25 basis points to 7%, according to minutes from the September board meeting of the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Taiwan surprises markets with first cut in 5 years
The Central Bank of China (Taiwan) unexpectedly cut rates for the first time since 2003 on the back of fears that distressed financial markets could trigger a global slowdown in economic activity.
MPC members signal Bank won't cut just yet
Despite Sir John Gieve's indication earlier this week that he would back a rate cut in the coming months, comments by other members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) signal rates will stay at 5% for the time being.
Norway's Gjedrem: price stability tempers cycle
Monetary policy that is oriented towards stabilising inflation and price expectations will moderate the impact of bubbles and financial crises, said Svein Gjedrem, the governor of the Bank of Norway.
Asia needs tightening
There may not be a meaningful reduction in inflation rates without policy tightening in Asian economies, finds new research from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
Banks favour Frankfurt for dollar auctions
Results of the European Central Bank's (ECB) and Bank of England's dollar auctions indicate the Frankfurt-based institution's operations are attracting more bids because of its more lenient collateral rules.
South African inflation hits record high
South African inflation accelerated to 13.6% in the year to August, the highest level since the government began to compile the data in 1998.
Demand for one-month Fed money soars
The results of the latest of the Fed's Term Auction Facility operations signals the extent to which US banks are becoming ever more reluctant to lend to their counterparts.
BoE's Gieve warns of crunch's deflationary impact
Sir John Gieve, the deputy governor responsible for financial stability at the Bank of England, has warned that the Bank must consider the deflationary consequences of the credit crisis.
Bank of England's September minutes
The minutes from the September meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee show most members judged maintaining the current rate necessary to bring inflation back to target.
Finland advocates price-level targeting
A new paper published by the Bank of Finland makes the case for moving to price-level targeting.
RBA's Stevens: monetary policy and booms
The proposition that monetary policy should lean against asset price and credit booms is up for discussion again, said Glenn Stevens, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia.