Monetary Policy
Polish bank head outvoted over rate rise
The National Bank of Poland's president was on the losing side as the rate-setting committee voted 6-4 for the first rise in interest rate in three years in April, a report released today showed.
Reaction to King's loss of MPC vote
Less of a threat to the governor's credibility and more a sign of what is to come, was the conclusion observers drew from Mervyn King being in the minority at the MPC meeting in June.
Minutes of Polish monetary policy meeting
The minutes set out the committee's reasons for rejecting a quarter-point rate hike at the meeting three weeks ago, in favour maintaining the cost of borrowing at 4.25%.
Taiwan raises rates again
Taiwan's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate - the discount rate on 10-day loans to banks - by a quarter percentage point to 3.125% today.
China cool on IMF policy shift
The People's Bank of China reacted coolly to the change in the International Monetary Fund's currency monitoring policies (see our news item, 19 June).
BoJ to continue gradual rate hikes
The minutes of the May 16-17 board meeting of the Bank of Japan confirmed the view of members that the central bank should continue to raise interest rates gradually, in line with growth and inflation prospects.
Riksbank's Monetary Policy Report
Published the day Sweden's central bank raised rates, the report sets out the Riksbank's thinking behind the rise and its assessment that that the repo rate will need to be around 4% at the end of the year
King outvoted over rates increase again
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England narrowly defeated governor Mervyn King at their policy meeting in June, voting 5-4 to keep the rate unchanged at 5.5%. This was the second time that the governor was on the losing end of an MPC…
Sweden raises key rate - and more to come
Sveriges Riksbank, Sweden's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate on 20 June for the eighth time in 18 months, this time lifting the repurchase rate by a quarter point to 3.5%, the highest level for over four years.
Central Bank of Iceland clears rate confusion
The Central Bank of Iceland has issued a statement in which it "underlined" that its new representation of interest rates implies "no change in policy rates."
Botswana's rates cut to 14.4%
The Bank of Botswana has cut the country's interest rates by 50 basis points to 14.5%, on the improved outlook for inflation.
Russian central bank cuts discount rate
The central bank of Russia cut its discount rate from 10.5% to 10% on 19 June.
ECB's Weber acknowledges risks to price stability
Risks to price stability will continue while the average inflation rate in 2007 and 2008 are above the European Central Bank's inflation guidelines, Axel Weber a member of the central bank's governing council said in an interview over the weekend.
Kenya's central bank cuts key rate to 8.5%
The Central Bank of Kenya cut one of its key interest rates to 8.5 from 10% in an attempt move it further in line with other policy rates.
Japanese rates on hold
The Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Committee decided on 15 June, by a unanimous vote, to leave interest rates at 0.5%.
Rates on hold in Chile
Chile's central bank held its overnight lending rate unchanged for a fifth month in a row, but suggested that higher interest rates may be necessary later this year as inflation accelerates.
The political economy of the MPC - Tucker
In this keynote address to a conference on "Inflation Targeting, Central Bank Independence and Transparency" at the University of Cambridge, Paul Tucker, a member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), discusses the political economy…
Stevens raises inflation spectre
Inflation is more likely to rise during 2008 than to recede, according to Glenn Stevens, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Examining monetary policy press conferences
This ECB working paper studies how explanations of monetary policy decisions at press conferences are perceived by financial markets, and finds that ECB press conferences provide substantial additional information to financial markets beyond that…
Trichet says monetary policy still accommodative
Speaking to the European parliament on Monday, Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the ECB, said monetary policy was accommodative even after the recent quarter-point rate rise.
King warns on inflationary pressures
Mervyn King served notice that rates may have to rise even though the Bank of England sees inflation as likely to drop back this year from March's breach of the 3% target.
Prospects for India's economy - Reddy
The Reserve Bank of India will try contain inflation at close to 5%, said Dr Y.V. Reddy, the central bank's governor, in a speech in Chile.
Fed's Hoenig on recent economic developments
US economic conditions will improve in the coming months, said an optimistic Tom Hoenig, CEO of the Kansas City Fed.
Ireland's Hurley on monetary policy
Ireland has benefited from the euro, explained John Hurley, the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, but challenges remain in dealing with rising credit growth and housing prices.