Central Banks
Subprime writedowns could total $400 billion: G7
Central bankers and finance ministers from the group of seven most powerful economies now believe subprime-related writedowns could far exceed previous estimates, Peer Steinbruck, Germany's finance minister, revealed.
Liquidity pressures could return, says FSF report
Money-market tensions could yet re-emerge, a group of leading central bankers and policymakers warned on Monday.
Chances of rate cut fall on UK inflation data
Further monetary loosening in Britain looked less likely after factory-gate inflation hit its highest level since 1991.
Further rate hikes to come, says RBA
The Reserve Bank of Australia has signalled its intention to raise rates.
Cutting rates a mistake, says Israel's Fischer
Stanley Fischer, the governor of the Bank of Israel, has rebuffed calls to lower rates, saying inflation was too high to warrant a cut.
More remittances lead to more corruption
An increase in remittance inflows can lead to a deterioration of institutional quality in the recipient country, research published by the International Monetary Fund finds.
Bernanke admits concern over monolines
The threat of a downgrade to some of the biggest monoline insurers impacting the banking industry is forcing the Federal Reserve to monitor developments closely, a letter from Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, reveals.
Kenya can rise again, says central bank governor
The violence precipitated by elections late last year is a setback from which the Kenyan economy can recover, said Njuguna Ndung'u, the governor of the central bank.
Punchbowl didn't need re-spiking: Fed's Fisher
Using a barrel of alcohol-related comparisons, Richard Fisher, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve, explained why he was the only member of the Federal Open Market Committee not to back the recent 50 basis point cut.
Chile holds rates at 6.25%
Concern regarding the global outlook has prompted the Central Bank of Chile to leave rates unchanged in spite of concern over inflation.
Noyer's lonely moment
Robert Pringle, the editor of Central Banking journal, speculates on what kind of questions went through the mind of Christian Noyer, governor of the Banque de France, when he first learned of the Societe Generale disaster.
Fed's Yellen gloomy on inflation
Janet Yellen, the president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve, has expressed concern over recent developments in inflation in the United States.
Treasury support linked to operational freedom
As many governments fail to guarantee fiscal backing, a central bank's financial independence is relevant to its operational freedom, research by the International Monetary Fund finds.
BoE makes expected rate cut
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee cut rates to 5.25%, as widely expected.
ECB holds rates, but hawkish tone goes
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, revealed a shift to a more dovish outlook as the governing council held rates at 4% for the eighth straight month.
ECB right but opaque, says report
The latest Monitoring the European Central Bank report, published on Thursday by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), suggests that there is much room for improvement in the way the European Central Bank (ECB) sets interest rates and…
Czech Republic raises rates as inflation surges
The Czech National Bank's rate-setting board voted to raise its benchmark rate to 3.75%.
Late-afternoon Fedwire surge explained
The New York Fed finds three reasons for why an increasing number of payments are processed through the Fedwire funds transfer system in late afternoon.
Fed's Plosser on the limits of monetary policy
Monetary policy is not the solution to all economic ills, said Charles Plosser, the president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve.
Czech president approves potential replacements
Vaclav Klaus, the president of the Czech Republic, has said that two names suggested in the media as potential replacements for outgoing central bank deputy, Ludek Niedermayer, would be suitable candidates.
Indonesia holds rates
Bank Indonesia's rate-setting board voted on Wednesday to leave rates at 8% in an attempt to bring inflation within the 4-6% range set for 2008.
Inflation differences bother Fed's Lacker
Jeff Lacker, the president of the Richmond Federal Reserve, said he was troubled by the lengthy divergence between overall and core inflation in the United States.
Recent trends in emerging markets' monetary policy
A new collection of Bank for International Settlements papers investigate major changes in monetary policy transmission in emerging markets over the past decade.
Hong Kong banking industry stays in good health
The Hong Kong banking sector remains highly liquid, well capitalised and profitable said Y.K. Choi, a deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.