News
RBI to review primary dealership arena
INDIA - Our Banking Bureau Mumbai After taking an in-principle decision to discontinue the satellite dealers, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to review primary dealers (PDs) in terms of their number, obligations, activities and regulation, said Y…
ECB Issing says eurozone econ hit bottom in '01
FRANCE - Europe's economic slowdown hit bottom at the end of last year and growth should be back above 2% by the end of 2002, European Central Bank Chief Economist Otmar Issing says in an interview with Les Echos Tuesday.
Labour mismatches plague euro zone
GERMANY - Austria has too many construction workers and too few hairdressers. France suffers from an abundance of woodworkers but a shortage of nurses. These are some of the findings of an ECB report published today.
Japan to name two businessmen to BOJ board-sources
JAPAN - The Japanese government has provisionally decided to name two businessmen to the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy-setting board to replace members whose terms expire at the end of the month, according to sources, Reuters reports Tuesday.
Shiokawa - New anti-deflation steps to be concrete
JAPAN - A new round of anti-deflation steps being prepared by Japan's ruling coalition will likely flesh out the plan to combat falling prices already announced by the government, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Tuesday.
India's c bank set to open rep office in Dubai
UAE - State-owned State Bank of India (SBI) is planning to open a representative office in the UAE this year to tap the NRI resources, SBI chairman Janki Ballabh said.
Australia's Macfarlane moves Reserve goal posts
AUSTRALIA - The Reserve Bank of Australia governor advised the Australian Government against repayments of borrowed US dollars.
Investors in Belgian national bank head for courts
BELGIUM - Banque Nationale de Belgique (BNB) is likely to find itself taken to court by its minority investors, claims Financial News in London.
Argentina's Duhalde - Working to lift bk limits
ARGENTINA - Argentina is working to lift banking restrictions in the next three months, President Eduardo Duhalde said in a press conference Monday.
Bill seeks changes to central bank act
PHILIPPINES - A senator has filed before the Senate a measure that seeks to amend the charter governing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Pakistan's for ex reserves rise to US$ 5.1bn
PAKISTAN - Pakistan's total liquid foreign reserves registered an increase of US$ 40.7 million to $5.10 billion in March as compared to $5.06 billion on 23 February.
China's central bank chief unfazed by debt
CHINA - The governor of China's central bank, Dai Xianglong, acknowledged for the first time yesterday that national domestic debt is much higher than official yardsticks have so far indicated, but he said reform and economic growth would alleviate the…
ECB Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Labour market mismatches in euro area countries, 11 March.
Swedish c banker joins inflation concern view
SWEDEN - Inflation in Sweden has been unexpectedly high lately, Swedish central bank Deputy Governor Lars Nyberg said on Monday, adding he shared the concern over the issue voiced by colleagues on the bank's board.
Reserve Bank of South Africa Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE - Commission of inquiry into the rapid depreciation of the exchange rate of the rand, 13 March.
Soros warns UK not to snub euro
UK - Billionaire investment guru George Soros has said that it is "impossible" for Britain to reject adoption of the euro.
UK shadow chancellor shifts on bank independence
UK - UK Chancellor Gordon Brown deserves "great credit" for his decision to give the Bank of England independence, Michael Howard has said.
Heikensten says slower wage growth needed
SWEDEN - Sweden's membership of European economic and monetary union will demand a higher government budget surplus and lower wage increases, Lars Heikensten, deputy governor of Sweden's central bank told Dagens Nyheter Sunday.
Iran's c bank chief dismisses embezzlement claims
IRAN - Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has dismissed as "untrue" certain reports on embezzlement at CBI and said the claims are unfortunately raised by those who are unfamiliar with banking affairs.
Israel unveils plan to limit central bank powers
ISRAEL - Israel's Finance Ministry unveiled legislation Sunday to rein in the power of the central bank, with a monetary council appointed by the finance minister and a widening of the bank's goals to include growth and employment targets.
BIS-Central bankers see world economy improving
SWITZERLAND - Top central bankers see the world economy's prospects more positive than they did two months ago and expect key interest rates to rise only once a more broad-based recovery has been firmly established, Bank of England Governor Sir Edward…
Regulating the City 'costs £1bn'
UK - The cost of regulating the City is at least £1bn and the benefits are completely unclear some months after the Financial Services Authority acquired its full powers, according to research.
ECB Press Conference
PRESS CONFERENCE - Introductory statement by Willem F. Duisenberg, President of the European Central Bank, Christian Noyer, Vice-President of the European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main, 7 March.
Banks shun online sales pitch
UK - Britain's banks and building societies are turning away from the web in their search for new customers.