Central Banks
Bank of Canada appoints Special Adviser
The Bank of Canada announced the appointment of Professor Christopher Ragan to the position of Special Adviser during the year 2004-2005 this week. Professor Ragan, whose areas of interest include government debt, inflation, monetary policy, and exchange…
Jordan appoints new deputy governor
During its weekly session on Tuesday 13 July, the Jordanian Cabinet decided to appoint Sharif Faris Abdul Hamid Sharaf as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) succeeding Saleh Tayeh who had earlier submitted his resignation, the Jordan…
New board game in Argentina aims to beat the IMF
A new board game called 'Eternal Debt' is keeping people in Argentina busy at the moment. The point of the game is to try to beat the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by accumulating the least debt. The game is subtitled 'Who can beat the IMF?' and it…
Khodorkovsky wants Gerashchenko off Yukos board
Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky plans to request the company shareholders consider dismissing former chairman of the central bank of Russia, Viktor Gerashchenko, from his post of chairman of the company's board of directors, Khodorkovsky's lawyer…
Japan's former economy minister wins seat
Former Japanese economy minister Heizo Takenaka won his first parliamentary election this week and said on Monday 12 July that he aims to get Japan's growth back on track.
Fed's Bies on business financial conditions
In a speech on 'Business financial conditions and relationships with bankers' given on 15 July, Susan Schmidt Bies of the Federal Reserve said the economic expansion is now broad based, and the financial strength of businesses should help provide the…
BoJ's Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes, 14/15 June
The Bank of Japan released the minutes from its 14 and 15 June Monetary Policy Meeting on 16 July. Members said that many economic indicators released since the previous meeting were relatively strong for Japan, and agreed that the economy continued to…
EMEAP - Eurosystem high level seminar in Singapore
Eleven Central Bank Governors from the Executives' Meeting of East Asia-Pacific (EMEAP), the President of the European Central Bank and twelve Governors from the Eurosystem National Central Banks held a joint high-level seminar in Singapore on 16 July.
Austria's Liebscher on Bretton Woods institutions
In a speech on 'The importance of the Bretton Woods institutions for small countries' given on 21 June, Klaus Liebscher of the Austrian National Bank said he is a firm believer in the value of the Bretton Woods Institutions for the global economy as a…
Brazil to propose central bank autonomy in 2005
Brazils government will present a proposal to grant the Central Bank autonomy by 2005, Finance Minister Antonio Palocci was quoted as saying in the Friday July 16 edition of the Financial Times.
Trichet confident Asian growth remains on track
ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet was in Singapore on Friday 16 July for a meeting with East Asia-Pacific central bank governors. Trichet said he is confident that the global interest rate environment remains benign and regional growth, led by China, is…
Japan 'half way' to overcoming deflation
While deflation has shown signs of easing in Japan, rising raw material prices still haven't affected consumer goods, signalling that price declines will continue, Japan's Cabinet Office said in its white paper on the economy.
Eurozone inflation eases to 2.4% in June
Eurozone inflation fell slightly in June to 2.4 percent on a 12-month basis from 2.5 percent in May, final data from the EU's statistical office Eurostat showed on Friday 16 July.
Polish finance minister resigns to join IMF
Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka said that Finance Minister Andrzej Raczko was leaving the government for a post at the International Monetary Fund and would be replaced on Wednesday by the economist Miroslaw Gronicki, AFP reported Friday.
Central bank staff may okay job action in Israel
The Bank of Israel labor union will meet next week to officially approve "lengthy strikes," Haaretz reported Friday 16 July. Central bank employees struck for one day last May.
Meyer's book lifts lid on life inside the Fed
Former Federal Reserve governor Laurence Meyer's new book reveals some insights on life inside the Fed. This review says Meyer was advised against saying anything in a speech that might move financial markets. In the book, Meyer writes that Chairman Alan…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, July 2004
The Bank of Japan released the English version of its monthly report on 15 July. Japan's economy continues to recover, with the increase in production and corporate profits exerting positive effects on employment, the central bank said.