News
Argentina pleads for new aid
ARGENTINA - A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has arrived in Argentina to weigh up whether to grant the stricken country fresh aid.
Japan's tankan survey shows economy nearing upturn
JAPAN - Corporate confidence in Japan stopped falling for the first time in five quarters in March but was still weak, a widely watched central bank survey showed on Monday, pointing to a modest economic rebound from June.
Tokyo, Beijing sign currency-swap deal
JAPAN - The Japanese government signed a currency-swap agreement with China on 28 March.
India's RBI discusses gold exchange
INDIA - Reserve Bank of India's Deputy Governor Y V Reddy has proposed setting up an exchange for trading in gold as part of the efforts to develop the precious metal's market in the country and integrate it with the financial market.
BOJ 'tankan' to show Japan sentiment bottoming out
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's closely watched 'tankan' survey is set to record its first improvement in 18 months, economists say, suggesting the long-suffering economy may be bottoming out on hopes for an export-led rebound.
Montenegro rejects any link with Yugoslav Nat bank
YUGOSLAVIA - The National Bank of Yugoslavia is not competent to represent Montenegro, officials of the tiny coastal republic have told representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Kabul joins queue for bank services
AUSTRALIA - Two months after John Howard promised Australian help to rebuild Afghanistan's war-ravaged central bank, the Reserve Bank of Australia official chosen to advise his Afghan counterparts is still cooling his heels in Sydney, The Australian…
Decision on HKMA staff wage cuts Thursday
HONG KONG - The Exchange Fund Investment Committee will decide Thursday whether to cut salaries at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority for the new financial year starting next month, the Ming Pao reports.
Korea's c bank union criticises commerce minister
SOUTH KOREA - The labour union of South Korea's central bank blasted the commerce minister on Wednesday over his recent comments on interest rates.
Bulgarian central bank, Oracle to co-operate
BULGARIA - Bulgarian central bank (BNB) and U.S. software giant Oracle signed a two-year memorandum for co-operation on 26 March.
Indonesia to decide on new central bank deputies
INDONESIA - Parliament is in the process of choosing two new central bank deputies after receiving nominations from Bank Indonesia's troubled governor Sjahril Sabirin on Wednesday.
Slovak c bank says joining euro possible in 2007
SLOVAKIA - Central bank Governor Marian Jusko said on Wednesday Slovakia should adopt the single European currency as quickly as possible upon EU membership and urged other candidate countries to consider the same.
Central bank head in Iran faces corruption trial
IRAN - Iran's judiciary revealed on Tuesday that it intended to go ahead with the trials of the oil minister, the governor of the central bank and other senior politicians as part of an anti-corruption drive launched by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali…
Turk PM says IMF reforms cut too much state power
TURKEY - Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Wednesday some IMF-backed reforms may have cut state power too much and crisis-hit Turkey's priority must be a return to elusive growth.
Santomero - Govt must actively regulate markets
CZECH REPUBLIC - The lack of transparency in the financial system means that the government must retain a key role in regulating that system, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia president Anthony Santomero said Wednesday.
Energy prices expected to spur Brazil's inflation
BRAZIL - Strong energy prices are likely to drive Brazil's inflation higher than initially expected this year and next, the country's central bank said Wednesday.
Rise in new home sales add to evidence of recovery
US - The US economy received more signals on Wednesday that a recovery was under way, but the latest reports fuelled speculation about the strength and speed the recovery might display.
Aid returns to Argentina
ARGENTINA - Argentina has received its first financial assistance since its economy went into a nosedive last year.
The Bank of Canada Launches a New $5 Bank Note
PRESS RELEASE - The Bank of Canada officially launched Canada's new $5 bank note into circulation today, 27 March.
Financial Stability Forum holds seventh meeting
PRESS RELEASE - The Financial Stability Forum (FSF), chaired by Andrew Crockett, General Manager, Bank for International Settlements, met on 25-26 March in Hong Kong SAR, 26 March.
ECB's Quaden - "More and more signs" worst over
BELGIUM - European Central Bank Governing Council member Guy Quaden welcomed Tuesday the latest reading in German business sentiment, calling it another sign that the euro-zone economy has turned the corner.
San Fran Fed sees silver lining in low saving rate
US - Americans are still not able to squirrel away huge chunks of cash for a rainy day, but we might not have to, a report released Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco suggested. And this may be especially true in the Bay Area.
Greek central bank sees eurozone CPI below 2 pct
GREECE - Greece's central bank expects a gradual recovery of economic activity in the eurozone this year with consumer inflation falling below 2.0 percent, governor Lucas Papademos said on Tuesday.
BOJ board voted 8-1 to keep policy unchanged 8 Feb
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's policy board, at a Feb. 8 meeting, voted 8-1 to keep the bank's monetary policy stance unchanged, the BOJ said Tuesday.