Central Banks
MAS Press Briefing on Annual Report release
PRESS BRIEFING - Press Briefing for Monetary Authority of Singapore Annual Report 2001-2002. Opening remarks by Mr Koh Yong Guan, Managing Director, MAS, 2 August.
MAS - Annual Report 2001-2002
ANNUAL REPORT - The Monetary Authority of Singapore has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2001-2002.
Jamaican central banker honoured
JAMAICA - Central bank governor Derick Latibeaudiere has been awarded the Order of Jamaica for his "significant contribution to central banking and finance".
Japan's central bank ignores IMF plea on deflation
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan ignored a call from the International Monetary Fund to act against deflation plaguing the nation's economy on Friday, keeping its ultra-loose monetary policy unchanged.
Kuwait reports use of bank notes decreasing
ARTICLE - Over the past few years the demand for charge cards provided by Kuwaiti banks has increased, and has coincided with an enhancement of knowledge surrounding " plastic money", in an attempt to convert Kuwait into a society that depends largely on…
Bank of Spain to close 30 branches
SPAIN - On 8 August unions and management of the Bank of Spain agreed to close 30 of the central bank's branches, and not 31 as previously planned.
No middle ground on operational risk debate
ARTICLE - While regulators insist they are well on their way down the road to new international capital standards, bankers say they are following the wrong map to destinations unknown. From American Banker, 12 August.
Thailand's central bank in upbeat mood on economy
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand is confident that deflation will not be an immediate concern. M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, the central bank governor, said the prevailing exchange rate of about 42.5 baht to the US dollar would not trigger inflation either.
Issing sees slow US growth rather than double dip
GERMANY - European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing was quoted on Monday as saying a "double dip" in the U.S. economy could not be ruled out but that continued slow growth was more likely.
RBA report says rates may rise again
AUSTRALIA - The Reserve Bank of Australia expressed confidence on Monday that recent market volatility would have only a minor effect on the world economy and signalled it stands ready to raise interest rates again once current uncertainty passes.
Euro banknotes fail test of time
GERMANY - Germans were among the swiftest of Europeans to detect that the euro was dangerous to their wealth. Now it seems the replacement to the mighty mark just does not cut it in the rough and tumble of everyday life.
IMF News Brief
NEWS BRIEF - IMF Completes First Review and Approves New Increase on Uruguay Stand-By, 8 August.
Short-Term Gains Versus Long-Term Challenges
RESEARCH - An Article By Michael Deppler and Jerald Schiff, Director and Division Chief, European I Department, International Monetary Fund, Public Service Review: Accession States, 25 July.
ECB Working Paper Series
RESEARCH - The rationality of consumers' inflation expectations: survey-based evidence for the euro area, by M. Forsells and G. Kenny, August 2002. The results suggest consumers' inflation expectations in the euro area satisfy an intermediate rather that…
Economic Perspectives, Third Quarter 2002
PUBLICATION - The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has published its regular quarterly journal of in-depth articles reporting on the Bank's economic research.
New central bank governor appointed Mauritania
MAURITANIA - The Presidency of the Republic issued the following two statements yesterday:
Japan central bank keeps monetary policy unchanged
JAPAN - Japan's central bank left its monetary policy unchanged Friday amid hopes that an economic recovery is taking hold after a long slump.
It's time to create the 'amero'
ARTICLE - In an article in the Canadian National Post on Friday Herbert Grubel introduces the idea of the 'amero' a single currency between Canada the USA and possibly Mexico along the same lines as the euro. He also tries to unravel some apparent…
Namibian c bank chief 'was not aware of gem link'
NAMIBIA - The Governor of the Bank of Namibia, the country's central bank, says he was made a director of a diamond company without his knowledge, a Namibian news website reported.
Central Bank of Russia to offer $13,000 gold coins
RUSSIA - New Russians, extravagant businessmen famed for their love of gold and deep pockets, might now have to start thinking about getting wide ones too, reports Reuters on Friday.
Rudiger Dornbusch
ARTICLE - Rudiger Dornbusch, a far-from-dismal economist, died on July 25th, aged 60. The Economist magazine, 9 August paid tribute to him.
Counterfeit bank notes on rise in Korea 1st half
SOUTH KOREA - The number of attempts to use forged bank notes increased considerably in the first half of the year, as counterfeiters have easier access to computer scanners and colour photocopiers.
Interview with Milton Friedman
INTERVIEW - Central Banking, The Quarterly Journal, contains an exclusive interview with Milton Friedman in the August 2002 edition. The Editor, Robert Pringle, spoke to US Economist Milton Friedman, just before Friedman celebrated his 90th birthday. In…
ECB Monthly Bulletin, August 2002
REPORT - The European Central Bank published its August 2002 Monthly Bulletin on 8 August. In the bulletin the ECB reinforced its "wait and see" approach to interest rates but admitted risks to price stability had become "more balanced". This was in…