Monetary Policy
Bleak outlook for Asian growth
ASIA - The era of the "Asian Tigers" is over, at least for the next 12 months, as economic growth in Asia slows sharply in the wake of 11 September.
Inflation no longer a threat to eurozone
EUROPE - Wim Duisenberg, president of the European Central Bank, said yesterday, Thursday, the bank's decision to cut interest rates by 50 basis points to 3.25 per cent reflected both a need to prop up battered confidence, and the bank's belief that…
FOMC: 'Mild and short contraction' of US econ seen
US - Federal Reserve policymakers expect a "relatively mild and short" U.S. recession, but they're inclined to keep cutting interest rates to banish the prospect of a nastier downturn, minutes of their recent policy meetings suggest.
IMF sees continued gloom for Germany
GERMANY - The German economy should recover from its slowdown in the first half of next year, but business confidence is frail and the government has little room to pursue fiscal expansion, the International Monetary Fund said yesterday, Wednesday.
IMF Staff Report on Germany
REPORT - IMF Publications Germany: 2001 Article IV Consultation--Staff Report; Staff Supplement; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion Series, 7 November.
News release from the Bank of England
NEWS RELEASE - Bank Of England Reduces Interest Rates by 0.50% to 4.0%, 8 November.
Bank of England cuts rates by 0.5%
UK - The Bank of England on Thursday cut Britain's interest rates half a point, taking its key repo rate to a 37-year low of 4.0 percent, in a bid to insulate the country from the threat of global recession.
ECB Press Release - Monetary policy decisions
PRESS RELEASE - European Central Bank press release on interest rate decisions, 8 November.
Speech by David Dodge, Governor of Bank of Canada
SPEECH - Opening Statement by David Dodge, Governor of the Bank of Canada before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance 7 November.
Bank of Canada semi-annual Monetary Policy Report
REPORT - The Bank of Canada yesterday, Wednesday, released its semi-annual Monetary Policy Report in which it discusses economic and financial trends in the context of Canada's inflation-control strategy.
ECB lowers interest rates to 3.25%
EUROPE - The European Central Bank (ECB) has slashed its key interest rate by half a percentage point to 3.25%, its fourth cut this year and bigger than many economists had dared to hope.
Canada's Dodge - Bank still has room to manoeuvre
CANADA - Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge said Wednesday that a high degree of uncertainty continues to hang over the Canadian economy, which is likely to remain weak for much of the next year.
ECB decide on new rate setting schedule for future
EUROPE - Currency market participants welcomed Thursday the European Central Bank's decision to start limiting its interest rate decisions to once a month.
Federal Reserve cuts rates to lowest since 1961
UNITED STATES - Struggling to reverse the slide in the U.S. economy, or at least to slow it, the Federal Reserve cut short-term interest rates on Tuesday by half a percentage point, to 2 percent, the lowest level since the 1960s.
Australia leaves interest rates unchanged
AUSTRALIA - Australia's central bank has opted to keep its interest rates unchanged on Wednesday despite the US Federal Reserve cutting its key overnight rates by 50 basis points to its lowest level in 40 years.
Federal Reserve Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Monetary policy decisions by the Federal Reserve Board, 6 November.
Bank of Canada Review Autumn 2001
RESEARCH - A New Measure of Core Inflation by Tiff Macklem. Short summary.
Duisenberg gives green light for ECB rate cut
EUROPE - European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg appeared Monday to give the green light for an interest rate cut this week as euro-zone finance officials sounded a cautious note about the economic outlook for the 12-member bloc.
Australian economy stronger than US - Costello
AUSTRALIA - Australian Treasurer Peter Costello said Wednesday that a decision by the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates steady after its board meeting Tuesday isn't surprising given the country is in the midst of an election campaign.
Speech by John Townend, Director for Europe
SPEECH - Speech by John Townend, Director for Europe at a British Bankers' Association Conference, London on 5 November.
Speech by Joseph Yam, Chief Executive of the HKMA
SPEECH - Speech by Joseph Yam, JP, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, 5 November. Briefing to the Legislative Council Panel on Financial Affairs.
Fed expected to cut rates by another half-point
US - The US Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates today for the tenth time this year, extending its most aggressive rate-cutting campaign in recent history amid yet more evidence of proliferating weakness in the world's economic power.
Asian nations agree free-trade zone
ASIA - South East Asian nations and China have agreed to set up the world's biggest free-trade area within 10 years.
Consumer spending falls in Japan
JAPAN - Japanese households spent less in September in spite of falling prices and government attempts to boost consumer spending, official figures show.