Central Banks
Fed Reserve Bank of New York - Annual Report 2001
ANNUAL REPORT - The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2001.
Speech by the Governor, Bank of Greece, 22 Apr
SPEECH - In an introductory statement to the European Parliament Papademos conceded that an anonymous publication of the policymaking body's members' positions could enhance the transparency of ECB monetary policy and thereby provide financial markets…
European Central Bank Working Paper
RESEARCH - ECB Working Paper by Francesco Paolo Mongelli, "New" views on the optimum currency area theory: what is EMU telling us?, April 2002.
Speech by Jarle Bergo of Norges Bank, 25 Apr
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'Oil - natural resource and financial asset' Bergo asks the question "Is an abundance of natural resources really an advantage?" and says that developing countries whose most important export is oil have generally recorded…
Argentina's banks re-open to chaotic scenes
ARGENTINA - Argentina's banks and financial markets reopened on Monday after a 10-day emergency shutdown.
Fraga sees crisis in Argentina as "worrying"
BRAZIL - Central Bank chairman Arminio Fraga said on Friday that the crisis in neighboring Argentina is "extremely worrying". He compared Argentina to Brazil, stating the former has yet to restructure its state finances, which he said was carried out…
Debating and preparing for the Payments Future
FEATURE - In a rare set of predictions on how the U.S. payments system's transaction mix will evolve, The Nilson Report in the American Banker says that in about 10 years debit cards will overtake credit cards, cash will remain king, and paper checks…
Thailand eases bank credit-card rules
THAILAND - Thailand's central bank Friday announced it has eased rules and regulations governing commercial banks' credit-card services in order to promote competitiveness and improve the quality of service.
Internet banking users top 12 million in Korea
SOUTH KOREA - The number of subscribers to Internet banking services reached 12.41 million at the end of March in South Korea, up 9.7 percent from 11.31 million at the end of last year, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday.
Interview with Russian central bank First Deputy
FEATURE - Interview with central bank first deputy chairman Oleg Vyugin with Vesti RTR News Program, 23 April.
Outgoing chief warns on Greek competitiveness
GREECE - In the Greek central bank's annual report released on Monday the governor warned that his country was losing competitiveness in the eurozone in spite of high levels of investment driven by transfers from EU structural funds.
ECB stands in contrast to Bank of England
FEATURE - Tuesday's London edition FT reports on the difficulties central banks can face in identifying and maintaining ideal inflation targets.
ECB gold reserves declined to 26 April
GERMANY - The European Central Bank said Tuesday that the Eurosystem's net reserves in gold and gold receivables declined by EUR306 million to EUR139.5 billion in the week ended 26 April.
Speech by David Dodge of Bank of Canada, 26 Apr
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'The Interaction Between Monetary and Fiscal Policies' Dodge said that Canadian monetary and fiscal policies both went badly off course just over 25 years ago. It then took 15 to 20 years to establish the appropriate focus for…
ECB Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Publication of 'The single monetary policy in the euro area: General documentation on Eurosystem monetary policy instruments and procedures', 26 April.
The single monetary policy in the euro area
REPORT - The single monetary policy in the euro area: General documentation on Eurosystem monetary policy instruments and procedures, (update of the November 2000 edition), European Central Bank, April 2002.
RBNZ News Release
NEWS RELEASE - RBNZ Board begins process for finding new Governor, 29 April.
Speech by A Santomero of Philadelphia Fed, 25 Apr
SPEECH - Santomero said on Thursday in a speech titled 'The Reluctant Recession: Why Was the Recession So Mild?' that it is too soon to tell when the U.S. economy will be strong enough for the U.S. central bank to consider raising interest rates.
Argentine Peso will not be fixed, says Lavagna
ARGENTINA - Argentina's banks and exchange markets will open today for the first time in nine days, as the new economy minister, Roberto Lavagna, attempts to calm fears of a wholesale collapse of the financial system.
Dep gov, Thomopoulos, interested in becoming chief
GREECE - Bank of Greece's depupy-governor, Panagiotis Thomopoulos, on Friday expressed his interest in replacing Mr Lucas Papademos at the central bank's head.
Ireland asks - Please be gentle with your euros
IRELAND - The new euro notes are taking a battering in Ireland. Despite being in circulation only four months some of them have deteriorated to such an extent that they will have to be replaced.
Gold's backers want to polish up its image
FEATURE - It isn't just the war against terrorism, or the growing violence in the Middle East. It isn't just increased Japanese demand or the Enron scandal's effect on the equity markets. Rather, gold's 10% rally this year, to a recent two-year high of…
Speech by William Poole, St Louis Fed Bank, 25 Apr
SPEECH - Poole warned on Thursday in a speech titled 'As Easy as P.I.E.: Productivity, Innovation and Education' that policymakers must be on guard and said low and stable inflation was key to keeping the current U.S. economic expansion strong and long…
Retreating to the sanctuary of gold
FEATURE - 'Gold is back,' declared a leading news agency this week in an analysis into why the yellow metal has pushed resolutely back above US$300 an ounce for the first time in two years, and why investor interest is at its highest in almost 20 years.