News
IMF approves US$10.2m for Central African Republic
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund said on Monday 30 January that it has approved a credit of SDR 6.962 million (about US$10.2 million) in Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance for the Central African Republic.
Arrests follow attack on Soludo's father
Police in Nigeria have arrested two men following an attack on the father of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
PBOC chief urges social security reforms
The People's Bank of China's Governor, Zhou Xiaochuan, has called for reformation of the country's social security system in order to reduce savings.
Bush to nominate Lazear to head CEA
US President George W. Bush has picked a business school professor, Edward Lazear, to be the chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers, the White House announced late Monday 30 January.
Senate votes on Bernanke, FOMC meets
The US Senate is aiming for a midday vote on the nomination of White House adviser Ben Bernanke to be chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Senate leadership aides were quoted by Reuters as saying on Tuesday 31 January.
Bank of England given BCCI payout
The liquidator of Bank of Credit and Commerce International made an initial £73m payment to the Bank of England on Monday 30 January for legal costs incurred in its successful defence against the abandoned "misfeasance" claim in the High Court.
Russia-Belarus to have common currency from 2008
Russia and Belarus will have a common currency starting from 1 January 2008, representatives of the Interbank Currency Council said on Friday.
Trichet renews call for eurozone reforms
Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, urged euro zone governments to speed up structural reforms of their labour markets and welfare systems, telling a conference in Davos on Saturday that it was the best way to ensure economic…
Buba's Weber says ECB 'ready to act' on rates
The European Central Bank is ready to act again any time if necessary on interest rates in the eurozone, Bundesbank chief Axel Weber said in a newspaper interview.
Barker: BoE's growth forecast may be optimistic
Monetary Policy Committee member Kate Barker has warned that UK economic growth may fall short of the Bank of England's forecasts, UK daily the Guardian reported.
Iraq seeking $40bn GCC debt relief
Iraq's central bank chief has said he hopes the Gulf GCC countries will follow the example of other states and give Iraq 'generous treatment' over debt cancellation.
SNB see profit fall on gold price, US $
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has reported an annual net profit of 12.8 bln sfr for the full year 2005, compared to 21.6 bln sfr a year earlier due to the sharp rise in both the gold price and the US dollar.
Greenspan receives Dept of Defense medal
Outgoing Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, was presented with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service by US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Monday 23 January.
Report says CB gold sales won't meet quota
HSBC analyst Alan Williamson told Dow Jones on Friday 27 January that European central banks are highly unlikely to sell the total 2,500 tons of gold allowed under the current agreement.
Takeuchi to join BOJ board - report
World Bank economist Sawako Takeuchi has been named as the likely replacement for Miyako Suda on the Bank of Japan's board.
Officials warn Japan's deflation not yet over
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Friday 27 January that although the key CPI rose for the second straight month in December, the country's economy has not yet emerged from deflation.
Slovakia's Sramko named central banker of 2006
The governor of the Central Bank of Slovakia, Ivan Sramko, has been named as The Banker magazine's its Central Banker of the Year for 2006.
Zhou says dollar weighting less than 50%
The weighting of the dollar in China's currency basket used as a reference to value the yuan is "much less than 50 percent," according to the People's Bank of China governor.
Gulf seminar warns of monetary policy risks
A four-day regional seminar on 'monetary operations and liquidity management' in Muscat, Oman, has cautioned Gulf central banks against risks and challenges involved in monetary operations.
Bush nominates two to Fed board
The White House announced on Friday 27 January it was nominating Randall Kroszner and Kevin Warsh to fill two vacancies on the Federal Reserve's seven-member board of governors.
Report says Greenspan to set up consulting firm
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan plans to establish a consulting firm called Greenspan Associates in Washington after he leaves the central bank at the end of the month, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday 26 January.
Hunt on for 'radioactive dollars' in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is currently hunting for dozens of "radioactive dollars" circulating in the country's financial system.
CBK says it won't devalue shilling
The Central Bank of Kenya has insisted it will not intervene in the market to devalue the strengthening shilling in the face of continued pressure from agricultural exporters.
China pledges further liberalisation of rates, FX
People's Bank of China governor, Zhou Xiaochuan, pledged on Thursday 26 January to liberalise China's interest rate and foreign exchange policy further as part of wider economic reform but said the moves would be gradual.