Central Banks
Bank of Japan leaves monetary policy unchanged
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan left monetary policy unchanged on Wednesday but said that if necessary it would provide extra liquidity to secure financial market stability towards the end of the fiscal year.
Speech by Edward George, Bank of England, 19 Mar
SPEECH - In the speech George again sought to reassure markets that last year's series of interest rate cuts was unlikely to be reversed any time soon.
Bank of England/NOP Inflation Attitudes Survey
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England/NOP Inflation Attitudes Survey, 19 March.
Federal Reserve Press Release, 19 March
PRESS RELEASE - The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate unchanged at 1-3/4 percent.
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Minutes
MINUTES - Minutes from the MPC meeting 6-7 March, released 20 March.
European Parliament Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - ECB confident on recovery and on inflation soon falling below 2%, 20 March.
Issing, Euro 12 govts must speed up reform in 2002
BELGIUM - Euro-zone governments should take advantage of this year's economic recovery and speed up structural reforms shelved last year owing to the downturn, European Central Bank chief economist and executive board member Otmar Issing said Tuesday.
Russian Duma approve Ignatyev as central bank head
RUSSIA - Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, Wednesday approved Sergei Ignatyev as chairman of the central bank.
MPC unanimity points to end of easing
UK - The interest-rate easing cycle may finally be over in the U.K. That seems the conclusion to be drawn from the latest set of Monetary Policy Committee meeting minutes, released by the Bank of England Wednesday. In a speech given Tuesday the Bank of…
Belgian econ cycle may lead eurozone by 1 quarter
BELGIUM - Belgium's business cycle leads the eurozone cycle by one calendar quarter, according to a study by the Belgian Planning Bureau, the government's economic think tank, reports Reuters.
Interest rates may not rise says Bank governor
UK - Sir Edward George, governor of the Bank of England, yesterday hinted that interest rates may not need to rise this year.
Irish central bank calls for risk control review
IRELAND - Ireland's central bank on Wednesday said it had told all the country's credit institutions to review their risk control systems in the wake of the $691 million trading scandal at Allied Irish Banks.
Brown to give euro evidence
UK - Chancellor Gordon Brown is to appear before a key committee of MPs to answer detailed questions about the government's economic tests for entering the euro.
'Father of euro' suggests common Asian currency
CHINA - Asia needs a common currency with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea at the centre, said Nobel Prize winner Robert Mundell, in China on Tuesday reports New China News Agency.
Speech by Robert Parry, San Francisco Fed, 7 Mar
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The U.S. Economy in 2002' Parry said he sees signs the U.S. economy is turning around, and that the outlook for business investment in equipment and software is improving.
Speech by Ravi Menon of the MAS, 5 March
SPEECH - Menon said in the speech titled 'The Five "C"s in Banking: Emerging Issues and Policy Responses' that Singapore banks should switch auditors every five years to prevent potential conflicts of interest. "The new rule is necessary to cement…
Speech by Dr Wellink, Nederlandsche Bank, 12 Mar
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The Euro, a major challenge and catalyst for Europe' Wellink said that he saw little effect on euro-zone inflation from the physical introduction of the euro and said the euro was "on the low side" historically but noted a…
Bank of England - News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England To Celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee, 18 March 2002.
Guatemala hold suspects in c bank chief kidnapping
GUATEMALA - Guatemala said on Friday it captured a man and a woman suspected of participating in the 25 February kidnapping of central bank chief Lizardo Sosa.
Russian parl'ment to approve c bank chief 20 March
RUSSIA - The State Duma lower house of Russia's parliament will vote on Wednesday to approve the appointment of Sergei Ignatiev as the country's new central bank chairman, the Duma's chairman said on Tuesday.
Saga of the convicted central bank governor
FEATURE - Bank Indonesia, which until early February still rejected Bank Bali claims as ineligible, suddenly reversed its policy. Erman Munzir, director of the banking development division at the central bank, at Pande's request, assigned a special team…
Banks in fight over card fees
AUSTRALIA - Banks and credit card issuers are in disagreement with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) over credit card reforms.
Swedish c.bank gov sees post-summer CPI up-tick
SWEDEN - Swedish inflation is likely to taper off in the next few months but rise anew after the summer due to strained resource utilisation, central bank Governor Urban Backstrom said on Tuesday.
RBA is losing minds in credit card battle
FEATURE - The Reserve Bank is digging itself into a hole in its new role as a consumer advocate and risks damaging its relations with the banks over its efforts to "reform" Australia's credit-card system.