Monetary Policy
New Zealand surprises with rate cut
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand on Thursday cut the benchmark official cash rate a quarter point to 8%.
Koruna's climb hampering economy: CNB officials
Zdenek Tuma, the governor of the Czech National Bank, and Mojmir Hampl, a member of the central bank's rate-setting board, have warned that the appreciation of the koruna is damaging the country's economy, prompting speculation that the central bank will…
Brazil shocks markets with rate spike
The Central Bank of Brazil on Wednesday confounded analysts' expectations, opting to increase its benchmark Selic rate by 75, not 50, basis points.
Two regional Feds pushed for discount rate rise
Directors of two regional Federal Reserves called for a quarter-point increase to the discount rate last month, it emerged Tuesday.
BoE MPC split three ways on July vote
The scale of the Bank of England's monetary-policy dilemma was underlined on Wednesday when the minutes of the July rate-setting meeting revealed a three-way split.
Inflation in industrial countries "global"
A new paper published by the Chicago Federal Reserve shows that inflation in industrialised countries is largely a global phenomenon.
Sarkozy challenges ECB's accountability
Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, is reported to be preparing proposals designed to increase the European Central Bank's (ECB) accountability.
Ghana raises rates to combat record inflation
The Bank of Ghana raised rates by a full percentage point on Monday as spiralling oil and food prices drove inflation to a three-year high of 18.4%.
Solomon Islands wait on Hou replacement
The delay in appointing a new governor before Rick Houenipwela leaves in August is causing concern at the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands, according to local media reports.
Mexico looks to squeeze above-target inflation
The Bank of Mexico lifted rates for the second straight month on Friday in a bid to slow inflation which was risen to 5.26% as a result of surging oil and food prices.
Poor central banks suffer on inflation
Weak central bank finances have a negative impact on the ability of policymakers to effectively react to inflationary pressures, according to new research from the International Monetary Fund.
Keep wages low, Trichet warns eurozone bosses
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), has urged euro-area employers to avoid raising wages and prices for services on the back of higher oil and food costs.
Japanese risks balanced, says Shirakawa
Masaaki Shirakawa, the governor of the Bank of Japan, said on Friday that the risks to growth and inflation in Japan were evenly balanced and that the central bank's policy stance was neutral.
Turkey holds lending rate on liquidity fears
The Central Bank of Turkey continued its rate-tightening run on Thursday by raising borrowing rates by half a point. But volatility in the money markets kept lending rates constant.
Lawmakers press for changes to ECB price target
Members of the European Parliament have proposed a series of changes to the European Central Bank's inflation target.
Rate hikes a risky strategy for bursting bubbles
Sir John Gieve, a deputy governor at the Bank of England, has spoken of two reasons why central bankers should be wary of disciplining financial markets by raising rates.
Canada constructs core inflation measure
Research published by the Bank of Canada has developed a measure of core inflation for Canada.
Zimbabwean inflation at 2.2m%
Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate has hit 2,200,000%, Gideon Gono, the governor of the country's Reserve Bank, said on Wednesday.
SA stats accused of overestimating inflation
South Africa's government statistics bureau is overestimating inflation by more than two percentage points, Investec, an asset management firm, has argued.
Swiss monetary framework a model of distinction
The Swiss National Bank's unique monetary policy model has allowed the real economy to escape the worst of the financial turmoil, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Hawkish Hoenig emphasises need for speed
Thomas Hoenig, the president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve, described the current federal funds rate as accommodative and said that it was important to move from this stance "in a timely fashion".
We must win public's trust: RBA's Stevens
Glenn Stevens, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, has said that central bankers must contain inflation expectations regardless of whether recent rises in inflation are exogenous or endogenous.
Canada - Monetary Policy Report
The Bank of Canada's latest Monetary Policy Report identifies three significant developments affecting the Canadian economy: protracted weakness in the US economy, ongoing turbulence in global financial markets, and sharp increases in certain commodity…
US inflation soars to 5%
The key measure of US annual inflation surged to its highest level since 1991 in June, figures out Wednesday reveal.