News
Koizumi urged to raise spending and change cabinet
JAPAN - Senior members of Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic party, emboldened by signs of further erosion in his public popularity, Sunday urged the Japanese prime minister to ditch fiscal restraint and to change cabinet personnel.
Fraga sees room for more interest rate cuts
BRAZIL - Brazilian central bank governor Arminio Fraga said there's room for more cuts in interest rates following the 20 February decision to slash the key Selic lending rate target to 18.75% from 19%.
Niedermayer to stay in CNB post for six-year term
CZECH REPUBLIC - The current vice-governor of the Czech National Bank (CNB) Ludek Niedermayer will be renamed to his post for another six year term.
People's bank to open office in Frankfurt
CHINA - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, plans to open a representative office in Frankfurt home of the European Central Bank (ECB) is headquartered, PBOC's press office announced.
Reynders says would not rule out top ECB job
BELGIUM - Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders said he had never ruled out an interest in taking the job of president of the European Central Bank, Le Soir newspaper reported on Thursday.
No Mersch comment on ECB VP position
GERMANY - Luxembourg's central bank governor, Yves Mersch, is declining comment for the time being on his interest in a potential nomination for the vice-presidency of the European Central Bank.
Czech Nat Bank vice-governor reappointed
CZECH REPUBLIC - As expected, President Vaclav Havel has reappointed Ludek Niedermayer, a vice-governor of the Czech National Bank (the central bank), to a second six-year term on the bank's rate-setting board.
Federal Reserve Board Currency and Coin
REPORT - Payment Systems, 2001 data for currency and coin, 28 February.
Greenspan urges US to save
UK - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has called savings an important component of the economy and urged a national consensus on balancing savings and risk-taking while preserving productivity.
Sweden inflation above expectation - Persson
SWEDEN - Swedish inflation is higher than the central bank had expected because it may have over-estimated the economy's production capacity, deputy central bank governor Kristina Persson said on Thursday.
Kidnapped central bank president is released
GUATEMALA - Lizardo Sosa, head of the Guatemalan Central Bank, was released Thursday after family members paid a "minimal" ransom to the kidnappers who grabbed him three days ago, according to the latest official account.
German minister sees early UK use of euro
GERMANY - Hans Eichel, Germany's finance minister, yesterday predicted that Britain would join the euro "in the not too distant future", in comments likely to renew debate on the single currency.
Argentine deal set to speed budget approval
ARGENTINA - Argentina's Congress was finally due to start discussing this year's budget yesterday, after the government reached a funding agreement with provincial governors on Wednesday night. That deal should mean rapid approval of the budget and could…
Koizumi criticised for slow pace of reform
JAPAN - A key adviser to Japan's Junichiro Koizumi yesterday criticised the prime minister for lacking concrete plans for structural reform and failing to implement the pledges he made on coming to office in April.
Central Bank of Guatemala Governor Kidnapped
GUATEMALA - It has been confirmed that the President of the central bank of Guatemala Lizardo Sosa was kidnapped while out for his regular morning jog close to his home.
Fed's Ferguson sees signs of U.S. recovery
US - Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger Ferguson said on Wednesday that signs of a U.S. economic recovery were increasing, but that a revival in business investment held the key to the contours of the rebound.
Final day for euro changeover
EUROPE - Two months after it was introduced as a cash currency on 1 January 2002, the euro will finally become the sole legal tender in the 12 countries in the eurozone.
Channel Islands agree tax haven deal
UK - Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands have signed up to an international programme to block tax evasion.
Federal Reserve Board Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - The Federal Reserve Board announced on Wednesday that the Consumer Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, March 14. The meeting will take place in Dining Room E, Terrace level, in the Board's Martin Building. The session…
Argentina debates crisis budget
ARGENTINA - Argentine leaders are on Thursday expected to debate an austerity budget aimed at finding a way out of the country's economic crisis.
Pakistan's central bank governor doing 'fine'
PAKISTAN - Following on from a heart attack scare recently we learn that Dr Ishrat Husain is now doing fine.
South African gold output falls sharply
SOUTH AFRICA - South African production of gold slipped by more than 8% in 2001, the Chamber of Mines of South Africa has reported.
Welteke: Past rate cuts will still show effect
GERMANY - Current price developments in the euro zone are "positive", but past interest rate cuts have yet to fully show their effect, Deutsche Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke said Wednesday.
RBI panel moots pool of bank directors
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) consultative group of directors of banks and financial institutions has recommended creating a pool of independent directors - approved by the RBI - to join various bank boards.