Central Banks
BoJ's Shirakawa: we'll monitor macro risks more
The Bank of Japan will continue to strengthen and exercise its role in managing macroprudential risks, said Masaaki Shirakawa, the governor of the central bank.
Kuwaiti SWF to take 16% stake in Gulf bank
The Kuwait Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, has taken a 16% share in one of the country's largest banks.
Israel cuts to record low, economy to shrink
The Bank of Israel slashed its key rate by 75 basis points to an all-time low of 1% on Monday and said that it now expected the economy to contract by 0.2% in 2009.
ECB officials signal reluctance to cut to zero
Two senior officials at the European Central Bank (ECB) have indicated that the Frankfurt-based institution remains reluctant to follow the Federal Reserve's lead in cutting rates to near zero.
Zim's Gono: sanctions responsible for collapse
Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, has said that sanctions are to blame for Zimbabwe's economic collapse and that printing more money was essential for his people's survival.
IMF identifies early indicators of bank weakness
Research from the International Monetary Fund identifies a set of indicators and thresholds to distinguish between sound banks and those vulnerable to financial distress.
Central Bank of Turkey - Inflation Report
Turkish inflation is likely to undershoot the 7.5% inflation target in 2009, notes the Central Bank of Turkey's January Inflation Report.
Central Bank of Chile - Financial Stability Report
The main threat to the Chilean economy's financial stability is a contraction in the supply of external funds, notes the latest Financial Stability Report form the Central Bank of Chile.
China "notes" Geithner renminbi claims
An official at the People's Bank of China has said the central bank had noted US Treasury secretary designate Tim Geithner's claims that President Barack Obama believes Beijing is manipulating the renminbi to boost exports.
Sack governor, Ukraine PM tells president
Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's president, on Friday rejected renewed calls by Yulia Tymoshenko, the country's prime minister, to sack Volodymyr Stelmakh, the governor of the country's central bank.
Vietnam slashes to meet growth target
The State Bank of Vietnam cut its base interest rate by 150 basis points to 7% on Friday, taking borrowing costs to half of the level they were last summer.
UK lawmakers want all the gore on bank lifelines
An influential group of British lawmakers have called for the UK Treasury to be much more open in detailing the liabilities taken on by its ownership of stakes in some of the country's biggest banks.
PM's adviser wants RBI to cut rates
Suresh Tendulkar, an economic adviser to the Indian prime minister, has said that the Reserve Bank of India should cut rates in the coming week.
Canadian economy to contract this year
Canadian GDP will decline by 1.2% in 2009 and rebound by 3.8% in 2010, according to the Bank of Canada's Monetary Policy Report Update.
Labour markets matter for ECB policy
Disturbances in the wage-bargaining process are a significant contributor to inflation and output fluctuations in euro-area, a paper from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve finds.
Denmark's Bernstein on the benefits of the euro
Nils Bernstein, the governor of the National Bank of Denmark, has outlined a number of reasons why Denmark should join the eurozone.
Was subprime possible to predict?
Research by the Boston Federal Reserve finds that market participants should have predicted the steep rise in foreclosures that occurred in 2007 and 2008.
Are commodities useful indicators of inflation?
Commodity prices are significant indicators of inflation, research published by the Bank of Canada posits.
The risks are justified: SNB's Hildebrand
The current crisis is the most complex and the most serious of the post-war period, and demands unconventional action from the Swiss authorities, said Philipp Hildebrand, a member of the governing board at the Swiss National Bank (SNB).
BoJ sees falling prices, will buy corporate bonds
Prices will fall in the world's second-largest economy in 2009 and 2010, senior officials at the Bank of Japan predict. The central bank also announced it would buy corporate bonds and begin purchases of commercial paper later this month.
Kazakhstan turns again to Marchenko
Grigory Marchenko will serve a second spell as governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
Brazil slashes, signals further easing
The Central Bank of Brazil made its most aggressive cut in more than five years on Wednesday and hinted it would ease rates further in the coming months.
UK action must be backed up abroad: BoE's Tucker
The British Treasury's measures, announced Monday, to kickstart a financial recovery stand a better chance of success if they are mirrored by governments across the globe, a senior Bank of England official testified on Wednesday.
Tarp needs "serious reform": Geithner
The Troubled Asset Relief Plan (Tarp) needs a fundamental overhaul, Tim Geithner, the US treasury-secretary designate who as head of the New York Fed was closely involved with the original bailout package, told lawmakers on Wednesday.