Central Banks
RBA 2004 Conference: Future of inflation targeting
This year's Reserve Bank of Australia conference to be held 9-10 August is focusing on various issues related to inflation targeting including: the evolution of inflation-targeting regimes and the measurement of inflation. Drafts of the papers will be…
Banque de France, Fin Stability Review, June 2004
At the turn of the year, growth picked up in all advanced economies as well as in most emerging economies, in particular in Asia. The economic recovery, already in full swing in the United States and in Japan, gained momentum in the euro area, albeit at…
Study says Fed doesn't target stock market
The Federal Reserve doesn't target stock market prices directly when it sets monetary policy, Reuters said quoting a Fed study due out this week.
Eurozone recovery at risk, says IMF
The eurozone's recovery remains fragile and is vulnerable to weak consumer demand and the risk of a further rise in the already strong euro, the International Monetary Fund warned the single currency's member states on Tuesday.
RBA holds rates
The Reserve Bank of Australia announced Wednesday morning, 4 August, that the official cash rate would remain at 5.25 per cent, where it has been since December.
Japan says China must change fx system to enter G7
Japan's Ministry of Finance urges China to modify its tightly managed float of the yuan before it can be approved for entry into the Group of Seven nations, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, citing an unidentified senior government official.
National Bank of Denmark - Annual Report 2003
The National Bank of Denmark has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2003. Growth in the Danish economy was sluggish in 2003. The modest increase in GDP of 1.0 per cent in 2002 was followed by zero growth in 2003. However, after two years of…
Bank Negara Malaysia - Annual Report 2003
The Central Bank of Malaysia has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2003. The more optimistic global environment and stronger domestic economic conditions have enhanced Malaysia's prospects as we advance into 2004, the annual report says.
Federal Reserve announce changes to check services
The Federal Reserve Banks announced on 2 August further changes to increase the efficiency of their check-processing operations. Check processing operations at nine sites will be discontinued and the volumes at these sites shifted to other Federal…
BNM's Zeti on investing in the new Malaysia
In a speech on 'Remaking Malaysia: Investing in the New Malaysia' given on 3 August, Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz of the Bank Negara Malaysia said during this period of strong fundamentals and rising potential for economic expansion, Malaysia has the flexibility…
Sin on development of Singapore's capital markets
In a speech on 'Development of Singapore's capital markets' given on 26 July, Ng Nam Sin of the Monetary Authority of Singapore said Singapore's debt capital market is an important part of our financial system. Continuous innovation in the markets will…
No stocks bought by BOJ in late July
Data released on Tuesday 3 August showed that the Bank of Japan did not buy any stocks from domestic banks in late July.
Bundesbank adopts Autonomy data package
The Deutsche Bundesbank is to deploy technology from Autonomy to run an advanced information retrieval system for 12,000 employees.
Brazil's cb has 'autonomy' on rates:, Palocci
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave the central bank power to set interest rates as it sees fit to control inflation, said Antonio Palocci, Brazil's finance minister, in an interview with the Epoca newsmagazine.
Inside help suspected in IMF, World Bank threat
US counter-terrorism officials have told officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that they think plans for a possible attack on the two financial institutions were so detailed that terrorists must have had inside help, the New York…
IRAQ'S NEW CENTRAL BANK
In April 2003 the central bank of Iraq was reduced to rubble. Its offices were ransacked, its records burnt, its vaults partly flooded (it sits on the banks of the Tigris), and its governor had fled. One of Saddam Hussain's sons had taken about $1…
Hoenig on US monetary policy, economic outlook
In a speech on 'Monetary policy and the economic outlook' given on 26 July, Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said recent U.S. economic performance has been good. Growth has been strong, inflation has been low, and even the labour…
Bundesbank's Weber on sixty years of Bretton Woods
In a speech on 'Sixty years of Bretton Woods: back to the future?' given on 23 July, Axel Weber of the Bundesbank said over the years the IMF has repeatedly expanded its policy of lending to debtors that are in arrears to the private sector (LIA policy)…
Dallas Fed's McTeer on transparency
In a speech given on 13 July Bob McTeer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said that Europe seems to be doing better economically, but what it greatly needs are economic reforms - especially labour market reforms-to give them good job growth.
Bank of Thailand - Annual Report 2003
The Bank of Thailand has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2003. The Thai economy expanded well in 2003, growing by 6.7 percent which was higher than that of 5.4 percent in 2002. The main impetus to growth came from the continued increases…
Australian PM says no case for rate rise
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that there is no case for an interest rate rise. The Reserve Bank of Australia was due to hold a Board Meeting on 3 August, with most analysts expecting interest rates to remain unchanged.
Century-old vault to be opened to Japan's public
The Bank of Japan will open its oldest underground vault to the public for the first time on 3 August at its headquarters in Tokyo.
Hungary holds key interest rates steady
The National Bank of Hungary left its key interest rates unchanged at 11.5 per cent on Monday.
Snow reassures after IMF, World Bank terror threat
US Treasury Secretary John Snow sought to calm nerves on Monday 2 August following newly disclosed terror threats against the U.S. financial institutions including the IMF and World Bank in Washington.