Central Banks
Japan's puzzle - Rock bottom rates, few borrowers
ARTICLE - HIROSHIMA, JAPAN - Why does Japan's economy, despite phenomenally low interest rates, keep wasting away? The answer begins in a vegetable garden near here.
Riksbank's Persson - Sweden should join EMU
SWEDEN - Sweden should enter European Economic and Monetary Union to offset the risks of price swings and better align the economy with its chief export market, the Riksbank's deputy governor, Kristina Persson, said in a speech Tuesday.
Japan toughens stance on Pakistan debt
JAPAN - Japan has said it is unlikely to ease Pakistan's debt burden any further unless the Islamabad government agrees to ban nuclear weapons tests.
Bank of Japan Minutes
MINUTES - Bank of Japan, Minutes of the Monetary Policy Meeting on 18 September.
Brazil c bank to produce notes of BRR2, BRR20
BRAZIL - The central bank will launch notes in denominations of two reals and 20 reals ($1=BRR2.761) in December and next year to help save costs, O Estado de S. Paulo reported.
India rates hit lowest level since 1970s
INDIA - Interest rates in India have slid to their lowest rate for almost 30 years after the country's central bank - Reserve Bank of India (RBI) - cut interest rates by half a percentage point.
Speech by Urban Backstrom of Sweden's central bank
SPEECH - Speech by Urban Backstrom, Governor of Sveriges Riksbank, Sweden's central bank at the Swedish Shareholders' Association rebro, 30 October.
International Finance Discussion Papers
RESEARCH - Federal Reserve Board Working Papers, Evidence Uncovered: Long-Term Interest Rates, Monetary Policy, and the Expectations Theory by Jennifer E. Roush, October 2001.
Minutes from Federal Reserve Board meeting
PRESS RELEASE - The Federal Reserve Board on Friday released the minutes of its discount rate meetings from May 21, 2001 to September 17, 2001.
HKMA Press release on retail payment services
PRESS RELEASE - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has completed a comprehensive review of retail payment services in Hong Kong ("the Review"), which was conducted by an internal task force of the HKMA set up in August 2000.
Speech by Shri Vepa Kamesam of India's Res Bank
SPEECH - Keynote address delivered by Shri Vepa Kamesam, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India at the inauguration of the 12th National Forex Assembly organised by Forex Association of India at Goa on 26 October.
US economy shrinks
US - The US economy has shrunk for the first time in eight years, official figures have revealed.
Argentina plays down default fears
ARGENTINA - Argentina is expected to announce later on Wednesday a plan to deal with its debt and boost the economy.
ECB: Monetary conditions not hindering growth
SPAIN - Current monetary conditions in the euro zone aren't hindering growth, European Central Bank executive board member Eugenio Domingo Solans said Wednesday, echoing similar remarks made recently by other ECB Governing Council members.
BOJ: Don't plan to weaken Yen by intervention
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan has no plan to intervene in currency markets to weaken the yen as a way to ease Japan's debilitating deflationary conditions, a senior BOJ official said Wednesday.
New automated account system at c bank of Jordan
JORDAN - A $2.9 mln ($3.2 mln euro) worth new automated human resource management and accounting system has been installed at the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ).
Thai cabinet approves currency swap with China
THAILAND - Thailand's cabinet approved a $2 billion unilateral currency swap deal with China Tuesday which can be used in the event of a foreign exchange crisis, a Finance Ministry official said.
Brazil c bank to receive US$2.5bn debt from Poland
BRAZIL - The Central Bank will receive US$2.457 billion in two weeks time from a debt due from Poland that is scheduled to come due in 2009. The money will bolster Brazil's foreign currency reserves, raising them to US$42 billion.
Speech by Svein Gjedrem, Governor of Norges Bank
SPEECH - Address by central bank of Norway, Norges Bank, Governor Svein Gjedrem at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the Norwegian Savings Banks Association, Haugesund, 18 October.
Speech by Bob McTeer of the Dallas Fed Bank
SPEECH - Remarks by Bob McTeer, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, before the Cato Institute 19th Annual Monetary Conference, Mexico City, 24 October.
BIS International Consolidated Banking Statistics
PRESS RELEASE - Bank for International Settlements International Consolidated Banking Statistics - second quarter of 2001, 29 October.
BIS International Consolidated Banking Statistics
REPORT - Bank for International Settlements International Consolidated Banking Statistics - second quarter of 2001, 29 October.
Prominent economist urges Argentina to float
ARGENTINA - An international economist who has been one of the most prominent advocates of Argentina's fixed exchange rate regime says the country should now float its currency.
A way out for Argentina
ARTICLE - The currency board cannot survive much longer. Ricardo Hausmann says it is time for a radical alternative.