Monetary Policy
Leave rates at record high, IMF tells NZ
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to avoid cutting rates until clearer signs of a slump emerge.
Discomfort over inflation led RBA to hold
Despite signs that domestic demand is weakening, Reserve Bank of Australia opted to leave rates at a 12-year high of 7.25% in May on the back of "uncomfortably high" inflation figures.
We must avoid the errors of the 70s: Trichet
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), has warned that the world's central bankers risk a return to the dark days of the 1970s if they cut rates in the current climate.
Lomax decides to quit the Bank
Rachel Lomax, a deputy governor at the Bank of England, will leave when her term ends at the end of June.
Ghana raises rates by 175bp
The Bank of Ghana has hiked its benchmark interest rate to 16% on the back of soaring inflation.
Bernanke letter confirms interest payment plans
Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, has called on Congress to allow the institution to pay interest on banks' reserves - a move reported earlier this month. The change will stop interbank charges falling below the federal funds rate.
Bundesbank expects euro inflation to accelerate
The Bundesbank on Monday said it expects inflation to increase further in the coming months and that the measure could stay above the European Central Bank's (ECB) target in the long term.
Core inflation no better than other measures
New research published by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve dismisses claims that core inflation is a better predictor of total inflation.
Fed's Pianalto defines inflation
Sandra Pianalto, the president of the Cleveland Federal Reserve, has clarified the difference between relative-price pressures and inflation.
Turkey shifts stance on rates
Turkey has leapfrogged Iceland as the European state with the highest interest rate after the country's central bank backed a 50 basis-point hike on Thursday.
Denmark raises rates
The Nationall Bank of Denmark lifted its key rate by 10 basis points on Friday in a bid to support the krone.
Russia’s monetary dilemma
Time is running out for Russia to deal with its “problem of success”. There are three possible ways forward, writes Bill Allen
Argentina’s crippling fear of floating
Argentina’s history of crises has haunted successive generations of policymakers, argues Vladimir Werning
Colombia’s communication challenge
Lavan Mahadeva, Diana Mejía Anzola and Jose Darío Uribe Escobar outline the steps the Colombian central bank has taken in communicating with different audiences
Getting back on track
Jacques de Larosière analyses the problems with the originate-and-distribute model and what regulatory response is required
Early lessons from the crunch
A report on of the current debates around the credit crisis and what it could mean for the future of central banking. Edited by Robert Pringle
Iranian governor opposes president on rates
Tahmasb Mazaheri, the governor of the Central Bank of Iran, has clashed with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the president's decision to set bank rates between ten and 12%, local media reports say.
King readies pen as BoE predicts prices to soar
Mervyn King acknowledged on Wednesday that he would almost certainly need to write at least one letter to the British chancellor in the coming months explaining why inflation is more than a percentage point above the Bank of England's target.
Interbank spreads to stay above pre-crisis levels
A fundamental shift in money-market attitudes will mean spreads between interbank and official rates remain greater than their pre-August levels for the foreseeable future, the Bank of England's head of markets said on Wednesday.
SA's Mboweni hints at further tightening
Tito Mboweni, the governor of the South African Reserve Bank, said on Tuesday that the institution would do its job of controlling inflation "come hell or high water".
Inflation surge surprises UK economists
Consumer price inflation in the UK soared to 3% in April, reducing the already-slim chances of a June rate cut to practically nil.
I won't intervene in central bank policy:Turkey PM
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, has said that the government will not involve itself in central bank policy.
SA braves public with rate forum
Amid fierce criticism of its decision to hike rates to 11.5%, the South African Reserve Bank will meet members of the public to explain why it has decided to tighten policy four times since the summer when almost a quarter of the population are…
Monetary policy alone cannot curb inflation
Monetary policy must be coupled with other economic measures if inflation is to be contained, Durmus Yilmaz, the governor of the Central Bank of Turkey, said.