Central Banks
ATM figures show Spain top with 1,123 per million
Figures compiled jointly by the ECB and Bank of Israel show that Spain has the highest number of ATM's per capita while Italy made the highest withdrawals from ATM's at €163 per capita, Reuters reported.
Oblath - Forint strengthening 'matter of time'
After receiving his official appointment to the Monetary Council of the national bank of Hungary, Gabor Oblath said reducing inflation was the highest priority for the Council. Oblath had previously resigned from the Council in January but agreed to…
What to do about the Yuan
This article looks at Alan Greenspan's comments this week that China's currency peg is unsustainable with a huge accumulation of US dollar reserves standing at $346.5 billion at the end of June. The pace of the increase in flows is astounding, the Asian…
Czech president against single EU currency
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, currently on a visit to France said he believes that it was unwise to adopt a single European currency because it is not necessary to get rid of one's monetary policy, one's interest rate policy and exchange rate Czech radio…
Polish premier seeks agreement with central bank
Polish prime minister Leszek Miller said Thursday he sees room for interest rate cuts as inflation is not a problem in Poland and hoped for a harmonised economic and monetary policy, PAP news agency said.
Dinkic says EU warn to respect c bank independence
Mladjan Dinkic said late Wednesday that the Serbian national bank had received a letter from the European Commission warning the government "to strictly respect the independence of the central bank" if it wanted to be admitted into the EU.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, July 2003
The European Central Bank published its July 2003 Monthly Bulletin on 17 July. In the report the ECB said that abiding by the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact would help boost economic confidence in the euro area. The report also described interest…
Bank of Canada trims growth and inflation forecast
The Bank of Canada again reduced its growth forecast for 2003 on Thursday. Bank Governor David Dodge referred to "unanticipated" developments that have caused it to lower its forecast, including SARS, BSE and the rising value of the Canadian dollar…
Monetary Policy Report to the Congress
In the Federal Reserve's Monetary Policy Report to the Congress published 15 July Fed policy makers expected economic growth, which is estimated to have run at a little more than a 1.6 percent annual rate in the first half of this year, to rise to about…
Bob McTeer on The prodigal son as central banker
In the speech 'The Prodigal Son as Central Banker' Bob McTeer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said for years Al has had the reputation for being an inflation hawk. Lately, he's becoming a hawk on deflation as well. He doesn't like inflation. He…
Hoenig on community banks and the Fed
In the speech 'Community Banks and the Federal Reserve' Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said community banks play an important role in the financial system of the U.S. economy and in the Federal Reserve's mission. For these…
Fukui on challenges for monetary policy in Japan
In the speech 'Challenges for Monetary Policy in Japan' Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said neither macroeconomics nor finance textbooks have yet managed to provide a practical solution to the problems related to the deflation with which we are now…
EU rejects Chirac call on stability pact
EU finance ministers have rejected calls from France for more flexibility in the stability and growth pact. Ireland's Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy warned that, with Europe's biggest economies in breach of the pact, its credibility was coming…
Bulgaria parliament again postpone c bank election
Bulgarian radio reported Wednesday that parliament had again postponed discussion on the election of a new governor for the national bank of Bulgaria, Novinite said.
BOJ says economic outlook improved
The Bank of Japan's July monthly report released Wednesday said business fixed investment is on a gradual recovery and while it reiterated that economic activity remains ``virtually flat,'' it said the outlook for exports has improved, Bloomberg reported.
Dnevnik: IMF has objections to Serbian bank law
Novi Sad daily Dnevnik reported Wednesday that the IMF objects to a clause within the draft legislation increasing the amount by which the state can go into debt with the central bank from five to 10 percent.
Eurozone inflation reaches ECB's 2% threshold
Eurozone inflation last month rose to the 2 per cent ceiling determined by the European Central Bank, official figures showed on Wednesday, the FT said.
ECB's Welteke, Garganas dash rate cut hopes
European Central Bank council members Ernst Welteke and Nikos Garganas said eurozone interest rates were low enough. Garganas told Bloomberg News, "monetary policy has certainly done its part to create the conditions for a resumption of growth".
The Fed's delicate balancing act
This article published in the FT looks at Alan Greenspan's half-yearly testimony before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday. On the whole, it says, he succeeded in clarifying his goals.
India's E-payment volumes soar 34% in 2002-03
The volume of E-payments in India has increased by 34% in the financial year 2002-03, Business Standard reported. At a seminar on smart card technology and its applications, R Gandhi, chief general manager of the Reserve Bank of India, said, "During 2002…
Djelic: the next Serb governor won't be a banker
Serbian daily Danas is preparing to name current Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Kori Udovicki as the most likely candidate to succeed Mladjan Dinkic as Serbian National Bank governor, Beta News reported.
New Bank team take their bow
Appearing for the first time before the UK Treasury Select Committee in his new capacity as governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King disarmingly admitted to having "no idea" whether the current level of 3.5% of interests was the correct level. This…
Get ready for Reddy
The coast appears clear for Dr Yaga Venugopal Reddy, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India until last year, to assume his well-deserved place as governor. Current governor Bimal Jalan is set to abandon the central bank in August, well before the…