Central Banks
Zambia c.bnk imposes new rules to defend kwacha
The central Bank of Zambia on Feb. 5, 2001, imposed new rules to defend the battered kwacha, which it says is a victim of speculators and unscrupulous businessmen. In a statement, the bank said it had reduced overall foreign exchange exposure limits for…
Yugoslav substitution of DM for euro in Dec 1 '01
The substitution of the DEM with the Euro in Yugoslavia will start on December 1, 2001, the National Bank of Yugoslavia said on Feb. 5, 2001. The European Central Bank and other credit institutions in the Euro zone will begin the supply with euros to…
'Comparing Financial Systems' by Allen and Gale
Most economic models focus on financial markets (organized markets for stocks, bonds, futures and options), as a means of allocating resources. Franklin Allen and Douglas Gale aim, in this book, to demonstrate how this is misplaced. By reviewing…
'The End of Finance' by Jan Toporowski
Toporowski tells us in his foreword that in a previous book (The Economics of Financial Markets and the 1987 Crash) he became so preoccupied with the crash that he 'omitted to include ... any general theory or explanation of stock market crashes in…
'Econ pol coordination in the Europe' by P Jacquet
"Economic policy co-ordination in the Euro zone: What has been achieved? What should be done?"In this pamphlet, French policy advisors Pierre Jacquet and Jean Pisani-Ferry review economic policy co-ordination since the Euro was launched and recommend…
'State of the world 2001' - Worldwatch Institute
The seventeenth annual State of the World focuses, as ever, on the big questions. The core subject is the global environment, but this is systematically linked with other major global issues. Member of the Worldwatch Institute contribute chapters on…
Radek Urban leaving Czech National Bank
Radek Urban has left the Czech National Bank where he was executive director of the financial markets department. On March 1 he will joining the asset management department of Ceska Sporitelna in Prague. Mr Urban has played a key role in developing the…
Philippines 1st e-Bank gets go-ahead for e-banking
The Philippines central bank has formally confirmed 1st e-Bank's authority to continue providing electronic banking services via its present cellphone banking system and soon a proposed Internet banking system, 1st e-Bank said in a statement. The BSP…
Swedish Riksbank keeps interest rates unchanged
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, pointing to the global and Swedish economic slowdown, said on Feb 2, 2001, it left key interest rates unchanged as widely expected by financial markets. The Riksbank said the repo rate, its chief monetary policy…
Konan Banny worried over political stability
The governor of the Senegal-based Central Bank of West African States, or BCEAO, has said that peace is the precondition for economic progress in Africa. "In my view, African leaders should be concerned only about the struggle for economic progress,"…
Belarus hard currency reserves triple to $150m
Belarus's central bank net hard currency reserves rose to $150 million on January 1, 2001, from $50 million at the start of last year, the bank's head, Pyotr Prokopovich, said on Feb 2. He told a news conference the bank planned to boost net hard…
Cash launch to boost public support for euro-Noyer
European Central Bank Vice President Christian Noyer said on Feb. 2 that public support of the single currency would grow with the introduction of euro notes and coins from January 1, 2002. Echoing earlier comments from other ECB officials, Noyer said it…
Bank of Spain says economy slowed in Q4
Spanish economic growth, among the fastest in the euro zone, slowed to an estimated 3.9 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2000 from 4.1 percent in the third quarter, the Bank of Spain said on Feb. 2, 2001. Gross domestic prorduct (GDP) growth…
Turkmenistan cbank funds Boeing aircraft purchase
Turkmenistan's central bank said on Feb. 2 it helped finance the purchase of a Boeing 757-200 aircraft for Turkmenistan Airlines valued at $70 million. Turkmenistan Airlines borrowed $48.3 million from the central bank to buy the new plane. The airliner…
Yugoslav central bank propose price liberalization
Yugoslav National Bank Governor Mladjan Dinkic said on Feb. 2, 2001, that the bank's team of experts had on Jan. 30 sent to the Serbian government a proposal for the planned liberalization of prices spread over the next three years to prevent "future…
IMF says ECB right to wait for more info on rates
The European Central Bank should wait for more information about core inflation in the euro zone and the growth outlook for the U.S. economy before cutting interest rates, the International Monetary Fund said. In a statement on euro-zone economic…
'Gatekeepers of Growth' by Sylvia Maxfield
With so many books on central banking in OECD countries, it makes a refreshing change to read a book that concerns itself with developing countries. Here, Sylvia Maxfield writes about the, causes and consequences of the independence of central banks in…
'European Central Bank' by Georg Schweiger
As befits a man with his background, Schweiger's book primarily deals with the legal and institutional framework of the European Central Bank (ECB). Although the jacket claims the book focuses on the personalities behind the bank, this is better left to…
'The Greenspan Effect' by Sicilia and Cruikshank
If Alan Greenspan is God, then this is the biblical exegesis. The latest book to delve into the Greenspan phenomenon takes the great man's words and then picks them apart in an exhaustive search for meaning. Sicilia and Cruikshank, apparently without a…
International Bank Insolvencies: cbank perspective
Problems in the banking sector of some economies, including bank insolvencies, pose numerous challenges to policy makers, lawyers and regulators among others. Central bank lawyers are the target audience for this book. It is co-edited by Gregor Heinrich…
Financial Globalization and Democracy in Emerg Mkt
In this book Leslie Elliott Armijo brings together a collection of original papers on the subject of the impact of global financial flows on political developments in borrowing countries. The majority of them were presented at a 1995 conference on…
Lack of confidence shouldn't slow eurozone-Vanhala
Finland's central bank governor said on Feb. 1 he hoped "reasons of confidence and psychology" would not slow euro zone growth more than real economic conditions justify. Matti Vanhala was speaking after the European Central Bank's governing council, of…
New ECB website on introduction of euro notes, coin
The European Central Bank on Feb. 1, 2001, unveiled a new website as part of its campaign to prepare the public in the 12 euro-zone states for the introduction of notes and coins from January 1, 2002.The website, with the address www.euro.ecb.int, has…
ECB Duisenberg says Irish budget out of line
European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg on Feb. 1 said he shared the European Commission's critical assessment of Ireland's expansionary budgetary policies. The Commission has asked EU finance ministers to issue an unprecedented formal reprimand…