Monetary Policy
SARB's Mboweni highlights inflation risks
The South African Reserve Bank last week left the repurchase rate unchanged at 7%, but governor, Tito Mboweni, cautioning that robust domestic demand together with oil and food prices posed potential risks to the inflation outlook.
More hikes ahead - Sweden's Ingves
New Swedish central bank governor, Stefan Ingves, said on Monday 6 February that he expected a continued gradual increase in interest rates. The speech, given at Umea University, was Ingves' first public appearance since his appointment at the start of…
Trichet says rate hike expectations 'reasonable'
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet told a press conference on Thursday 2 February that markets' near-term expectations for ECB interest rates are 'reasonable'.
Comment: Trichet's new strategy
Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), on Thursday 2 February cemented expectations of a 25 basis point rate hike next month. The manner in which he has gone about flagging the move underlines the central bank's new…
Fed raises rates, drops 'measured' stance
The Federal Open Market Committee decided on Tuesday to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 4-1/2 percent. In its statement the FOMC dropped "is likely" and replaced it with "may," regarding further policy firming.
Comment: Bernanke's options kept open
Subtle changes in the wording of the Fed's latest monetary policy statement leaves new chairman, Ben Bernanke, with more wiggle-room than may have been expected. Markets will become very sensitive to incoming data and will look to Bernanke's Capitol Hill…
Norway's Bergo on monetary policy
In the speech 'Projections, uncertainty and choice of interest rate assumption in monetary policy' given on 27 January Jarle Bergo of Norges Bank said assessing uncertainty is an important part of the central bank's communication strategy.
BoE's Nickell on monetary policy
In the speech 'Monetary policy, demand and inflation' given on 31 January Stephen Nickell of the Bank of England set out his reasons for wanting an interest rate cut this month and last.
Fed will raise rates as Bernanke waits
The pending change in the chairmanship of the Federal Reserve won't stop the FOMC raising US interest rates by a quarter point when they meet on 31 Jan for the 14th consecutive meeting, according to this article published on Tuesday 24 January.
Buba's Weber says ECB 'ready to act' on rates
The European Central Bank is ready to act again any time if necessary on interest rates in the eurozone, Bundesbank chief Axel Weber said in a newspaper interview.
Bank of Canada Monetary Policy Report Update
The Bank of Canada released its January 2006 Monetary Policy Report Update on 26 January. The Canadian and world economies are evolving essentially in line with the Bank's expectations, and the outlook for growth and inflation in Canada is similar to…
RBNZ holds OCR unchanged at 7.25 per cent
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced on Thursday 26 January that the Official Cash Rate (OCR) will remain unchanged at 7.25 per cent.
Comment: The Old Lady's new deputy
The Bank of England's new deputy governor for financial stability, Sir John Gieve, appeared yesterday before the Treasury Committee of the House of Commons for his appointment hearing.
Bank of England voted 8-1 to hold rates
Minutes of the Bank of England's last Monetary Policy Committee meeting, released Wednesday 25 January, showed that only dovish Stephen Nickell wanted to lower UK interest rates a quarter-point.
BOJ minutes show reluctance for price target
According to minutes from the Bank of Japan board's December meeting released on Wednesday 25 January, some members of the BOJ's policy board felt it would be hard to set a desirable rate of inflation.
Bank of Canada raises interest rates 0.25%
The Bank of Canada announced on Tuesday 24 January that it is raising its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 3 1/2 per cent. In a statement the bank said the move was necessary to keep inflation on target over the…
Paper says freer yuan would help monetary policy
The People's Bank of China would gain greater control over the country's money supply if it allowed more flexibility for the yuan, a semi-official think-tank said in a report published Monday 23 January.
Comment: Riksbank to turn the tide
Incoming Riksbank governor, Stefan Ingves, faces a challenge that few, if any, central bank governors have yet had to confront: making the case for a rate hike at a time when inflation is still below the inflation-targetting central bank's tolerance…
Kennedy on Canada's monetary policy framework
In the speech 'Canada's monetary policy framework: Dealing with global economic change' given on 12 January Sheryl Kennedy of the Bank of Canada said the effects of rising energy prices are still working through the Canadian economy, as are other factors…
NY Fed's Geithner on U.S. monetary policy
In the speech 'Some perspectives on U.S. monetary policy' given on 11 January Timothy Geithner of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said the rise and fall of asset prices such as stocks, bonds and homes will probably play a bigger role in setting U.S…
Latin American monetary policy reform in the 90's
The Central Bank of Chile Working Paper "The 1990's institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America," published December 2005, takes stock of the institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America since the early 1990s.
Fed's Fisher: Globalization impact on mon. policy
In the speech 'Coping with globalization's impact on monetary policy' given on 6 January Richard Fisher of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reiterated his vow to keep inflation contained, and offered again his concerns about the budget deficits the…
Fed's Hoenig on the national economy & mon. policy
In the speech 'The national economy and monetary policy in the new year' given on 9 January Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said the U.S. central bank has pushed interest rates into the lower end of a "neutral" range and where…
USAID works to strengthen Central Bank of Iraq
This article published on Monday 19 December reports on technical assistance being provided to assist capacity building and institutional strengthening at the Central Bank of Iraq. Historically the CBI has found it difficult to implement monetary policy,…