News
Armenian central bank law to strengthen dram
A central bank of Armenia law enacted on 28 June on hard currency regulation and hard currency supervision, seeks to strengthen the position and significance of Armenia's national currency, the dram.
Federal Reserve expected to raise rates again
The Federal Reserve was widely expected to increase US interest rates by a quarter point to 3.25 per cent at the conclusion of its FOMC meeting on Thursday 30 June.
ECB's Bini Smaghi says rates at historical lows
European Central Bank board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi was reported in La Repubblica newspaper as saying that the ECB's interest rates are at historical lows.
Dodge calls for G8 focus on imbalances
Bank of Canada governor David Dodge urged the Group of Eight to focus more on imbalances affecting global prosperity than on Africa and climate change.
EU issues Italy with budget deadline
On Wednesday 29 June the European Union gave Italy until the end of 2007 to cut its budget deficit. It gave the country two years instead of just one to bring the deficit back in line due to weakness in Italy's economy.
Villepin urges ECB dialogue with euro-zone states
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has called for a dialogue between the European Central Bank and the 12 euro zone countries to coordinate economic policies in the region.
Careful consideration needed before yuan move
China should take a gradual approach to currency reforms and consider the economic consequences of a rise in the yuan if it is allowed to move more freely, a state newspaper said on Wednesday 29 June.
BIS conference on cb cooperation
The BIS is holding a conference: "Past and future of central bank cooperation", celebrating 75 years of the Bank for International Settlements, 1930 - 2005 in Basel 27-29 June.
Redrado says Argentina needs to reach IMF deal
Argentina's central bank governor Martin Redrado said on Sunday 26 June that it is important for the country to reach a loan accord with the International Monetary Fund to repay debt.
Interest rates to stay 'relatively low' says Zhou
People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said in an interview the country will keep interest rates "relatively low" to help boost consumer spending and eliminate a trade surplus that has led to tensions with Europe and the US.
Snow says energy prices hurting US economy
Record high oil prices are beginning to take their toll on the U.S. economy, but not enough to halt or reverse the recovery, U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Tuesday 28 June.
Papademos says rate correct despite oil price high
European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos said eurozone interest rates are "appropriate," even as the price of oil reaches record levels.
Southern Africa could have common central bank
The Common Monetary Area, Southern Africa's 30-year-old monetary union, could have its own central bank within five years, the governor of the Central Bank of Swaziland, Martin Dlamini, told CentralBankNet.
BIS amends Statutes to streamline governance
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on Monday 27 June decided to revise the BIS Statutes.
Malaysia to maintain low rates despite oil price
Bank Negara Malaysia may keep interest rates low, even though global oil prices continue to remain high, national news agency Bernama reported, quoting the central bank's governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
BOJ's Haru says monetary policy may change
Bank of Japan policy board member Hidehiko Haru said in a speech the central bank may see the possibility of ending its quantitative monetary policy easing in the year to March 2007.
Gonzalez Paramo says ECB rates right for now
Current eurozone interest rates are 'adequate' and 'appropriate,' European Central Bank board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez Paramo told La Gaceta de los Negocios in an interview.
ECB's Mersch sees no reason to alter rates
Current European Central Bank interest rates are appropriate, ECB Governing Council member Yves Mersch said in an interview published on Monday 27 June.
Nobel winner says China growth may be understated
Nobel Prize laureate Robert Fogel said he is optimistic about China's sustained economic growth, predicting at least 8% growth for the next 35 years.
Philadelphia Fed head receives Italian civic honor
The Consul General of Italy recently presented the prestigious Italian recognition of "Cavaliere," an honorary knighthood, to Anthony Santomero, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Peru's economy minister is IADB candidate
Peru has nominated Economy Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski as its candidate to head the Inter-American Development Bank once current head Enrique Iglesias leaves the post in September.
Magistrate says T&T central bank filing 'archaic'
Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls said this week he was "really alarmed" by the record filing system at the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, the Trinidad and Tobago Express reported.
Interview with Bank of France's Noyer
In an interview published this week Bank of France governor and European Central Bank council member Christian Noyer said it was "crazy" to think that an interest rate cut in isolation can boost euro zone growth.
Bernanke sworn in as White House adviser
Ben Bernanke was sworn in as chairman of President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers on Tuesday 21 June, leaving his post as a Federal Reserve member.