Central Banks
Fed remains guarded on rate hike
Federal Open Market Committee keeps key rate and tone unchanged; caps agency debt purchase programme at $175 billion
National Bank of Romania – Annual Report 2008
Central bank’s report finds that the country slipped backwards on Maastricht convergence criteria for euro adoption
Riksbank rate on hold until next autumn
Swedish central bank says benchmark rate to remain at record low for the next 12 months
Ireland needs clearer macroprudential mandate: OECD
OECD calls for the development of more effective macroprudential instruments
Shirakawa blames human nature for bubbles
Bank of Japan's Masaaki Shirakawa says bubbles' causes will eventually boil down to the human nature
RBS and Lloyds to get £39.2 billion more
The part-nationalised banks are set to receive up to £39.2 billion in additional support measures announced on Tuesday
Ireland on how to make better forecasts
Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland looks at whether modelling structural change improves macroeconomic forecasting
Nigeria tackles subdued growth
Nigeria’s central bank holds rates, but introduces a corridor around key rate to encourage lending
India buys 200 tonnes of IMF gold
The Reserve Bank of India purchases just under half of the IMF’s sale quota for $6.7 billion
Australia hikes rates again
The Reserve Bank of Australia raises cash rate by 0.25% for the second time since October; Stevens says the worst is over
Too early for global exit strategy - Saudi chief
Muhammad Al-Jasser, governor of Saudi Arabia’s central bank, cautions against a rushed withdrawal from expansionary measures
Too-big-to-fail matters for macroprudence
Federal Reserve Board research looks at the dynamics of spillover effects of the global financial crisis to Asia and Pacific region
Danes naturals for mobile payments
National Bank of Denmark research suggests that Danish consumers should utilise mobile payments more
Botswana’s Mohohlo looks set to stay
Botswana’s governor Linah Mohohlo to remain in office past the expiry of her current term, central bank spokesman confirms
Narrow banking would create more instability: FSA’s Turner
Adair Turner, the head of Britain’s financial regulator, says narrow banking is not the solution because it fails to understand the root problem in the sector
Innovation, not regulation, the challenge
Heng Swee Keat, head of Singapore’s central bank, said Asian economies have different needs in emerging from the current financial crisis
Former Bank MPC members play down negative GDP number
Willem Buiter and Charles Goodhart dismiss third-quarter growth statistic; push for moderate expansion of quantitative-easing programme
FSA’s Turner is right to push for a Tobin tax
The financial sectors in mature economies grew too large in the run-up to the crisis. A Tobin tax can help prevent this from happening again, argues Costas Lapavitsas, a professor at the School for Oriental and African Studies
BIS global financial regulator needed: Griffith-Jones
Stephanie Griffith-Jones argues for far stronger global financial regulatory governance under the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
Global regulatory reform not in sight: Kern Alexander
Kern Alexander says consensus on international regulatory reform is still far ahead
Iceland begins dismantling capital controls
Central Bank of Iceland takes first step towards capital-account liberalisation