Central Banks
Measuring output gap in export-oriented economies: IMF paper
Fund study assess methods to measure output gap in countries facing non-traditional demand pressures
Shirakawa on earthquake response efforts
Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa says he feared earthquake would lead to deterioration in business sentiment
Brazil prepares for Basel III
Brazilian financial stability report announces major changes will be incorporated in the country’s legislation; bringing it into line with Basel III
ECB’s Stark calls for end to short-term approach to monetary policy
European Central Bank executive board member Jürgen Stark says central banks should not be distracted by attempts to fine-tune economy; calls for refocus on monetary data
UK banking commission keen on ring-fencing retail operations
Safeguards on retail banking “common sense” chairman claims; Sifis need minimum capital ratio of 10%
Iceland in talks to avoid downgrade following 'no' vote
Governor Már Guðmundsson talks to rating agencies after Icelanders reject second Icesave deal
IMF praises PMA as Palestine bids for statehood
Palestine Monetary Authority “now in a position to carry out functions of a central bank” as the territory bids for statehood recognition as of September
Belgium unveils financial health indicator
National Bank of Belgium designs financial health indicator to monitor risk of company failures; says probability of bankruptcy higher than 25% for least financially sound
Bank’s Haldane warns capital inflows may overwhelm emerging markets
Bank of England executive director for financial stability Andrew Haldane says rapid rate of investment in emerging markets could lead to financial instability
Consumers move back to cash payments: Boston Fed paper
Boston Federal Reserve study finds evidence of decline in credit and debit card usage and increase in cash payments during financial crisis
BoJ - Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments (April 2011)
The Bank of Japan’s April 2011 Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments finds evidence of a sharp slowdown in production following Tohoku earthquake
Bank of Israel narrow forum backs rate hike
Bank of Israel minutes show narrow forum supported decision to raise interest rates by 50 basis points in April
Belgium modernises central bank statute
National Bank of Belgium calls extraordinary general meeting to discuss changes to statute governing central bank; attempts to avoid repeat of historic legal battle debacle over ancient wording
Sepa end-dates should be set in stone: ECB
European Central Bank proposes concrete end-dates for migration to Single Euro Payments Area
Greek debt still the most risky: CMA survey
CMA labels Greek sovereign debt as most risky in the world, second quarter in a row; countries elsewhere in Western Europe performed the best
EBA reveals benchmark for EU stress tests
European Banking Authority to apply 5% core Tier I capital ratio of risk-weighted assets on stress tests; says 90 banks will participate in tests
King attempts to mitigate pay freeze news
Bank of England staff receive memo notifying them of measures
New York Fed auctions off first AIG-related mortgage bonds
New York Federal Reserve sells $1.3 billion of American International Group (AIG) mortgage securities in the first round of auctions
HKMA’s Chan reviews merits of universal banking
Hong Kong Monetary Authority chief executive Norman Chan says central bank will take balanced approach to universal banking
Bank of Finland on modelling rational expectations
Bank of Finland study discusses modelling rational expectations in monetary policy framework
QE solution at zero bound: NY Fed paper
New York Federal Reserve paper co-authored by Brian Sack shows quantitative easing successfully eased monetary policy at the zero bound
ECB breaks norm with rate hike
European Central Bank hikes interest rates by 25 basis points after two years at historically low levels; warns on second-round effects from commodity price pressures
Treasury Committee’s Tyrie calls for reform of BoE board
Treasury Select Committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, calls for urgent reform of governance rules at the Bank of England; warns new regulatory powers must be closely monitored