Central Banks
Rates round-up: Albania, Iceland, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland
Energy prices, geopolitical uncertainty begin to bite non-eurozone countries
Bank of Japan official reaffirms rate hike path
BoJ’s journey to policy normalisation continues as wage growth stays strong
Police arrest treasury officials over Bank of Uganda heist
Central bank said it has recovered more than $8 million of $16.9 million in diverted payments
Bangladesh Bank seals officials’ lockers
Move comes after investigators find allegedly undeclared assets in ex-deputy governor’s lockers
Tightening increases instability after supply shocks – IMF study
Authors say when other tools are too costly, rate hikes should be less aggressive
Fed can afford to wait on rates, say regional heads
Atlanta and Chicago presidents say uncertainty over economy means it’s too soon to talk of more cuts
Focus on rates for policy, keep QE for crises – Carstens
BIS general manager says expanding objectives could “undermine credibility and independence”
Brazil to enable Pix for contactless instant payments
BCB-managed platform to have point-of-sale function by late February
RTGS extensions often happen gradually – BIS-authored study
Authors say extended operations can increase risk of fraud in late hours
Trump reverses course on Fed decision
US president says central bank was right to hold rates in January
New governor takes over at Bank of Ghana
Johnson Pandit Asiama assumes office as predecessor takes terminal leave ahead of retirement
US sanctions may create demand for Eurodollars – NBER paper
Economists compare today’s market to the one that emerged during Cold War era
Branching paths: the Czech National Bank’s many modelling options
Three external reviews each recommended a different combination of models. The CNB now faces tough design choices, and must also decide how to upgrade its economic research
Former Fed adviser arrested for allegedly spying for China
Indictment claims official passed on sensitive economic and financial data to Chinese security services
Annual inflation in Turkey falls, but monthly inflation surges
Independent body estimates actual figure to be much higher than official statistics
Google study shows cyber threat actors’ increased use of AI
Content campaigns identified in Russia, Iran, North Korea and China
Colombia unexpectedly holds policy rate
Central bank pauses easing cycle as minimum wage hike complicates inflation dynamics
Rivers, birds and cultural spaces to feature on new euro notes
Design contest to start in 2025, though introduction “several years” away
Argentina cuts rates by 300bp to 29%
Central bank will also slow peso’s monthly devaluation rate, starting from next week
AI adoption does not require governance overhaul – BIS
Study says central banks can build upon existing risk management frameworks
Rwanda and Ghana to connect payment systems
Rwandan central bank governor reveals plans to increase financial inclusion with CBDC, microfinance
CNB takes next step towards adopting bitcoin
Board approves governor’s proposal to look at “additional asset classes”, which could include crypto
South Africa delivers third successive rate cut
Move comes as inflation remains at lower end of target range
Information impacts dealers’ behaviour in crises – BoE paper
“Information chasing” helps explain how prices are set during liquidity shocks, authors say