Central Banks
Klein on Israel's economy after the elections
SPEECH - In the speech 'Israel's economy after the elections' David Klein of the Bank of Israel said that the economic package, announced following the election, would be difficult to implement. He likened the choices to Alice in Wonderland who found out…
Musical chairs at the ECB
ARTICLE - The plan to alter the ECB's voting council gets some attention here. The article says even if Europe's finance ministers agree to the rotation plan they should revisit the issue soon. Competency, not nationality, should be the key qualification…
Japan PM nearing decision on central bank chief
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is near a decision on a successor for outgoing Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Masaru Hayami, whose five-year term ends 19 March, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda indicated Tuesday.
PM, Frenkel meet to discuss emergency economy plan
The likelihood of Israel's Finance Minister Silvan Shalom leaving the Treasury has risen after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon summoned former Bank of Israel governor Jacob Frenkel, chairman of Merill Lynch International, for a three-hour discussion on the…
Treasury wants Bank of Israel to refund bonuses
The director of wages at Israel's treasury, Yuval Rachlevsky, has instructed 800 workers at the Bank of Israel to repay their "efficiency bonuses," which total millions of shekels. Rachlevsky informed the bank's governor, David Klein, Monday.
EU Commission wants joint action by central banks
The EU Commission is in favour of a joint effort by all international central banks if a war in Iraq should weaken the world economy, financial daily Boersen-Zeitung said, citing an internal note from the EU's economic and monetary affairs commissioner…
Iranians turn to gold as war casts its shadow
Iran's central bank has introduced measures designed to bring down soaring gold prices, including easing procedures for the importation of gold and silver bullion, a bank official, Jalal Jalilian, was quoted as saying Tuesday.
Sveriges Riksbank Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Allocation of the Riksbank's net income 2002, 14 February.
Sveriges Riksbank Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Riksbank's annual report 2002; stronger krona reduced earnings, 14 February.
Austria's Tumpel-Gugerell tipped for ECB post
A report said the Austrian government is expected to officially submit Austrian central bank vice-governor Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell's name in the next few days as the country's candidate to succeed Finland's Sirkka Hamalainen on the ECB's Executive Board.
No such thing as a free (or cheap) lunch at IMF
The International Monetary Fund will stop subsidising its cafeteria from 1 May. Part of the problem was World Bank staff flocking in from across the road for cheap nourishment.
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
SPECIAL FEATURE - In this weeks special feature CentralBankNet looks at the recent court case which the BIS lost requiring them to pay more money to their small shareholders. The episode labels the BIS as "mean" and bought continued criticism of the BIS…
Knight on financial system stability
SPEECH - In the speech Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Malcolm Knight talks about the importance of financial system stability and the close link between the latter and good economic performance.
Interest rate warning on euro entry
Bank of England MPC member Kate Barker has called into question the economic case for joining the euro citing "difficulties in the European policy background and problems with the UK exchange rate".
ECB plans for reform may run into problems
Plans to reform the European Central Bank, including cutting the voting power of smaller European Union member states, are expected to run into trouble this week. Some Finnish MPs claim Paavo Lipponen, their prime minister, assured them that the Bank of…
Japan central bank keeps dismal view on economy
Japan's central bank kept its bleak view of the economy unchanged for the fourth-straight month in a report Monday that said growth was hampered by weak domestic consumption and volatile exports.
Indonesia names 3 possibles for central bank chief
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has submitted to parliament three experienced central bankers as choices to replace central bank governor Sjahril Sabirin when his term expires in May.
Chavez calls for fixed interest rates
President Hugo Chavez said Sunday interest rates should be fixed to reverse Venezuela's deteriorating economic situation, just days after he imposed exchange controls and price controls for the same reason.
German economy stagnant, says Bundesbank
Germany appeared to move a step closer to a new recession Monday when the Bundesbank estimated that the euro zone's biggest economy contracted slightly in the fourth quarter of last year.
Duisenberg may have to extend stay at ECB
There have been calls for European Central Bank (ECB) president Wim Duisenberg to extend his stay at the head of the bank due to questions over the fate of his successor.
European Parliament Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - ECB - steady as she goes despite uncertainty, says Wim Duisenberg, 17 February.
Is Japan ready to reflate?
ARTICLE - When the Japanese prime minister says he wants a "deflation fighter" at the Bank of Japan, he may not be referring to monetary policy at all. This article says the Japanese consensus view - one shared by Mr Koizumi and Masaru Hayami, the BoJ's…
Duisenberg testimony at the European Parliament
SPEECH - In testimony before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament Wim Duisenberg of the European Central Bank said said Monday that the ECB's already accommodative monetary policy will help support an expected…
Bies on financial markets and corporate governance
SPEECH - In the speech 'Financial Markets and Corporate Governance in the United States and Other Countries' Susan Bies of the Federal Reserve said as the United States goes forward, even if transparency through corporate financial reports improves,…