Central Banks
China's forex reserves rise to $819 bn
China's foreign exchange reserves grew nearly $50 billion in the last quarter of 2005 to reach $819 billion, making it likely China will exceed Japan's reserves by the end of the year.
Comment: Riksbank to turn the tide
Incoming Riksbank governor, Stefan Ingves, faces a challenge that few, if any, central bank governors have yet had to confront: making the case for a rate hike at a time when inflation is still below the inflation-targetting central bank's tolerance…
Kennedy on Canada's monetary policy framework
In the speech 'Canada's monetary policy framework: Dealing with global economic change' given on 12 January Sheryl Kennedy of the Bank of Canada said the effects of rising energy prices are still working through the Canadian economy, as are other factors…
Enough said, Mr. Park
This Editorial published on Friday 13 January urges Bank of Korea Governor Park Seung not to cause any more losses to the country through his verbal mistakes. Following comments made Thursday by Mr Park, the won surged immediately, causing a big…
China: No plan to sell dollar assets, buy oil
China has no plan to sell off its US dollar assets, the head of the People's Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan, was quoted as saying in the official Shanghai Securities News.
Ferguson's banking expertise may aid Bernanke
Although Ben Bernanke will take the reins of the U.S. economy when he takes over as chairman of the Federal Reserve next month; Roger Ferguson may be the one holding the reins of the Fed itself, this article published on Wednesday 10 January suggests.
NY Fed's Geithner on U.S. monetary policy
In the speech 'Some perspectives on U.S. monetary policy' given on 11 January Timothy Geithner of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said the rise and fall of asset prices such as stocks, bonds and homes will probably play a bigger role in setting U.S…
How long can BoU reserves go without aid?
This article published on Wednesday 11 January asks how big are the Bank of Uganda's reserves? And how far can the country run until the financial tank shows 'empty?'
Venezuela sees reserves up by 25 percent
Venezuela closed the 2005 fiscal year with foreign reserves above US$ 30.3 billion, the third highest in Latin America, according to a report authored by Aristimuo Herrera & Asociados.
Serbia's National Bank vice-governor arrested
Serbian police have arrested the vice-governor of Serbia's National Bank, Dejan Simic, on suspicion of taking bribes, Mina news agency reported.
Who is Ben Bernanke?
Of all the things investors can worry about in the new year, the Greenspan void has to be on the list, according to this article published on Monday 9 January. Bernanke faces not only the risk of unsettling the Greenspan bon ami in global markets, it…
Bernanke Senate vote expected by 31 Jan
The full US Senate will vote on whether to confirm Ben Bernanke as the next Federal Reserve chairman by the end of January, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said on Tuesday 10 January.
Ukraine's reserves more than double in 2005
The gross foreign reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) grew 2.04 times in 2005 - from $9.5249 billion to $19.39476 billion.
Analysts sceptical over central bank gold buying
Central banks are unlikely to rush to diversify their reserves into gold in the near future due to the lengthy decision-making process and small size of the bullion market, Reuters said in a report.
Latin American monetary policy reform in the 90's
The Central Bank of Chile Working Paper "The 1990's institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America," published December 2005, takes stock of the institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America since the early 1990s.
Fed's Fisher: Globalization impact on mon. policy
In the speech 'Coping with globalization's impact on monetary policy' given on 6 January Richard Fisher of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reiterated his vow to keep inflation contained, and offered again his concerns about the budget deficits the…
Fed's Hoenig on the national economy & mon. policy
In the speech 'The national economy and monetary policy in the new year' given on 9 January Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said the U.S. central bank has pushed interest rates into the lower end of a "neutral" range and where…
German govt confirms Bundesbank staff cut plan
The German government is considering plans to reduce the size of the Bundesbank's staff with cuts that go beyond a current round of planned reductions, the Finance Ministry said on Saturday 7 January.
Burundi central bank gets new governor
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has appointed economist Gabriel Ntisezerana as the new governor of the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB) instead of Gabriel Toyi, official sources said in Bujumbura.
China mulls reserves shift to liquid assets
People's Bank of China officials revealed more on Tuesday 10 January as to how they are likely to manage their foreign-exchange reserves, saying they won't sell off a large amount of existing US dollar holdings but may move some reserves into other…
Caruana to leave Basel Committee in July
Jaime Caruana said on Monday 9 January he will step down as chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision when he leaves his post as governor of the Bank of Spain in July this year.
Jean-Pierre Roth to chair BIS Board
The Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on Monday 9 January elected as its new Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank.
Argentina to buy euros to restock reserves
Argentina's central bank will begin buying euros in the foreign exchange market to help bolster its foreign reserves, which were sharply reduced to pay back the country's debt with the IMF, a central bank official said on Sunday 8 January.
Gold rises on central bank buying rumours
The gold price had been lent further momentum by investors anticipating central banks would deliver on comments they would buy gold, Bloomberg News reported.