Central Banks
Korea's foreign ex reserves over $116 billion
KOREA - The Bank of Korea said Saturday the nation's foreign exchange reserves as of the end of October amounted to $116.9 billion, up $305 million from the end of the preceding month.
Mexico holds firm on inflation targets
MEXICO - Mexico's Central Bank president held firm on the country's inflation targets for this year and next, even as expectations of higher inflation and diminished growth mount.
World Gold Council welcomes Shanghai gold trading
CHINA - The World Gold Council has welcomed the successful launch this week of trading in physical gold on the new Shanghai Gold Exchange. Trading started on Wednesday, October 30, and in the three days since more than 790 kilos of gold bullion has…
Monetary Council of ECCB meets in Anguilla
ST KITTS - Member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) have recommitted themselves to maintaining the value of the exchange rate at 2.70 EC Eastern Caribbean dollars to the United States dollar.
Swedes could reject euro, says union body
SWEDEN - The head of Sweden's powerful blue collar labour organisation has warned that Swedes could reject membership of the euro unless the government takes special measures to protect the country's cherished welfare model.
Rand defence
ARTICLE - Tito Mboweni, South Africa's Reserve Bank governor, is taking the defence of his country's currency to new lengths. On Friday, Mboweni donned military regalia for his appointment as an honorary colonel of the 1st South African Tank Regiment.
Customs union a step towards GCC integration
OMAN - The GCC monetary union is a stepping-stone for "higher order of integration among member states," said Hamoud Sangour Al Zadjali, Central Bank of Oman executive president.
UAE c bank begins registering hawala operators
UAE - In a first step towards regulation of hawala, the UAE Central Bank has embarked on a registration and reporting system for hawaladars or brokers.
Importance of risk management stressed
ARTICLE - The risk management in Islamic banking is vital in the rapidly growing segment of the global economic industry, Mahnaz Bahrami, the senior economist for research and policy at the Central Bank of Iran, has said.
Argentina: World Bank extends loan deadline
ARGENTINA - World Bank President James Wolfensohn said the due date for a debt payment to the World Bank has been pushed back to 14 Nov from 9 Nov, Argentine Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna said in a Sunday newspaper interview.
Bank of Greece set to improve transparency
GREECE - The Bank of Greece on Friday indicated that restrictions on consumer and personal loans could be lifted next year on condition that the current slowdown in credit growth continues at the same pace and a forthcoming study can prove that Greek…
Solomon c bank warns on fake Diana charity
SOLOMON ISLANDS - The Solomon Islands Central Bank has stepped up its campaign against the promoters of a get-rich-quick scheme that claims links with the late Princess Diana.
Ghana will play active part towards monetary union
GHANA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Thursday said Ghana would fully support all activities toward the adoption of a monetary union for West Africa to facilitate trade and movement for the socio-economic benefit of the 250 million people in the Sub…
The art of central banking
An undergraduate wanting to know what central banking is all about would do far better talking with somebody like Ian Plenderleith than reading any economic textbook. Plenderleith gave the interview to Central Banking on retirement from the Bank of…
Review of Globalization and its Discontents
Joseph Stiglitz’s capacity to shock is not in doubt. But his view of globalisation is too narrow, and he is wide of the mark on the discontent, suggests Graham Bannock.
The euro goes East
Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa reports the results of a survey by the ECB on the private holdings and use of the euro outside the euro area itself.
Review of Argentina and the Fund: from triumph to tragedy
While Michael Mussa honestly recognises Fund failings, Benedict Mander finds his suggested tweaks for the system disappointingly conservative.
Review of Financial crises and what to do about them
Barry Eichengreen finds a middle way between past policy failings and current lofty aims in his financial crisis handbook, says Benedict Mander.
Organisational structure and staff
This article outlines the structure of the agency’s staff and the importance of human resource development to the central bank
Development of the Saudi banking system
SAMA has been actively involved in regulation and supervision, and has taken the lead in the development of the payments system in Saudi Arabia.
The conduct of monetary policy
This article presents the objectives, instruments and recent developments in SAMA’s operating framework of monetary policy.
A new Bank of Mongolia
Bank of Mongolia has assumed a pivotal role in transforming the former planned economy, reports Blair Baker in Ulaanbaatar.
Currency crises compared
John Chown looks at the lessons to be learned from responses to recent financial crises. They show that devaluation can work, and indeed generally does.