Communication
Forward guidance essential in times of stress – Fed’s Evans
Chicago Fed president says central banks should plan for inevitable future scenarios now, in order to best prepare the public and to ensure policies are understood
Communication key to convey policies and objectives to public, central bankers say
Yellen, Draghi, Kuroda and Carney reflect on reaction of markets and public to policy communication
RBA looking to handle uncertainty better, says Debelle
Reserve Bank of Australia to change way it presents forecasts in order to avoid false impression of precision
More communication may hamper monetary policy, paper says
Independence and bigger MPCs may convey confusing messages and provoke forecast errors
Central banks should take transparency further, economist argues
Dissenting MPC members can hide behind vagueness and “verbiage”, says Tony Yates
Banks ‘still groping toward’ macro-pru transparency – Eichengreen
Central bank governance expert says central bank transparency is getting better around the world, although New Zealand, Argentina and some Central American institutions could make improvements
Eichengreen supports calls for FOMC to hold more press conferences
Governance expert says Fed is one of the most transparent central banks in the world but improved consistency of format around FOMC meetings “makes sense”
Chile puts board members in spotlight with decision-making overhaul
Changes aim to make communication more transparent while aligning central bank with international best practice; eight meetings will now take place each year
Bank of Canada rebuts ‘epic fail’ communication claim
Central bank’s head of comms rejects criticism from Bank of Montreal that policymakers failed to properly signal its recent rate hike
Better information bolsters policy pass-through – BoE paper
Where agents lack access to perfect information, publishing forecasts influences potency of monetary policy, study finds
Riksbank’s deputy argues for changes to monetary policy regime
Mulled changes would remove distortions, analysts say
RBI launches economics blog
“Mint Street Memos” comprise brief reports and analysis from RBI economists; first post studies beneficial effects of demonetisation for “financialisation” of savings
BoJ faces growing communications challenge
Japanese central bank embarks on its third attempt at unlimited fixed-rate outright JGB purchases; further fiscal stimulus would do little to help
St Louis’s Bullard on the future of the Fed and its monetary policy record
St Louis Fed president James Bullard rails against east coast dominance, favours aspects of the Choice Act and says Fed monetary policy was a “factor” that fuelled crisis
FSB turns to video in effort to widen comms reach
“Safer, simpler, fairer” video seeks to broaden communications effort to a less specialised audience
Inflation data causes rift in FOMC
Fed officials discuss whether incoming low inflation data is “transitory” or is a sign of worrying things to come; minutes outline balance sheet unwinding but date remains unknown
Bond sell-off slows as markets digest central bank comments
Upbeat comments from ECB and BoE chiefs trigger brief tantrum, but bond markets now appear to be settling down
Carney comments lead to sterling wobbles
Pound leaps as markets interpret comments as sign Bank of England governor is contemplating a rate hike later this year
BoJ told to improve communication on potential exit from stimulus
Speculation is growing over the timing and method of the exit from the stimulus programme, creating a new communication challenge for the BoJ
RBNZ’s Hannah: central bank is working to close trust gap
Survey in 2014 showed how poor public understanding of the central bank’s work went hand in hand with low trust
BoJ’s Iwata says expectations likely to shift as inflation returns
Deputy governor cites Milton Friedman in arguing that people will become more forward-looking when their wages are eroded by inflation
Bank of Canada prepares to open redesigned museum
Museum set to reopen in July after “complete reimagining”, including interactive exhibits on the central bank’s mandate, inflation-based games and a two-tonne “Yap stone”
Riksbank claims rate forecast success, despite inaccuracies
Study of 10 years of repo rate forecasting concludes it is a useful tool for setting and communicating policy, although forecasts “have not been particularly accurate”
Brainard turns cautious on inflation concerns
Lack of wage growth and lower than expected inflation data could slow further monetary easing, says Fed governor; interest rates are likely to rise “soon”