News
Bank plans to unveil Islamic 'credit card'
UAE - National Bank of Sharjah (NBS), which enjoys the rare distinction of being the world's first and the only conventional bank to have converted into an Islamic bank, is planning to launch an Islamic 'credit' card, reports Gulf News.
Forecasters' vision clouds during turning points
US - Research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta on economic forecasts by The Wall Street Journal in the last 16 years showed that accuracy was low at crucial points of the economy, with forecasters missing out on the aggressive rate cuts of the…
Argentina central bank sees 11 bln pesos leaving
ARGENTINA - The central bank said it expects 11 bln pesos to be withdrawn from the Argentine financial system in the second half of 2002, daily newspaper Clarin reported.
Trichet urges 'ambitious' reforms in France
FRANCE - Jean-Claude Trichet, the governor of the Bank of France, yesterday threw his weight behind efforts to reshape the centralised French economy with a call for "ambitious structural reforms".
Portuguese central bank report delayed by enquiry
PORTUGAL - The Portuguese central bank has delayed its 2001 annual report on the economy, due out yesterday, Monday, until September to await the results of an enquiry into the public deficit, a Bank of Portugal source said.
Confidence boosted as Japan shows recovery signs
JAPAN - Japan's export-led economic recovery fuelled a record improvement in sentiment among large manufacturers in a survey of business confidence. However the survey also highlighted the risk to Japan's economic health from the yen's recent rise…
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes from the meeting of 20 and 21 May, released 1 July.
Speech by T Padoa-Schioppa of the ECB, 29 June
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'The Euro Goes East' Padoa-Schioppa says the evidence suggests that the euro has smoothly and successfully replaced the legacy currencies, notably the DM, in the region to the east of the EU.
European Central Bank Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Annual publication of the "Preliminary list of Monetary Financial Institutions in the accession countries" (with reference date as at the end of December 2001), 28 June.
International Monetary Fund News Brief
NEWS BRIEF - IMF's Kohler Welcomes Progress in Talks with Argentina, 28 June.
Monetary union on schedule for GCC states
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are pushing ahead with an historic agreement to create an EU-style monetary union reports Gulf News. Officials said this week they are hopeful the project will materialise on schedule in 2010…
Credit card boom assessed in Thailand
THAILAND - Recent research suggests that changes made by Thailand's central bank to the requirements for card applicants could double the number of credit cards held in the country by the end of the year.
For-ex reserves cross $57-bn mark in India
INDIA - India's foreign exchange reserves have shot up by half a billion dollars in one week to cross the $57 billion mark during the week ended 21 June.
Iran's central bank head speaks of investment need
IRAN - The governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Mohsen Nurbakhsh said on Saturday that given the successful and good performance of the industrial and mining sectors in the last two years, more investment should be made in the said sectors.
Duhalde seeks faster deal with IMF for Argentina
ARGENTINA - Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde expressed his impatience on Saturday at the slow pace of debt relief talks with the IMF, as his top negotiator ruled out further reforms to monetary policy.
Pakistan tightens up rules on terror money
PAKISTAN - Pakistan is to announce new rules on Monday for tighter regulation of foreign currency dealers in an attempt to curb money laundering.
Study claims UK's 5 euro tests are already met
UK - The government's five economic tests for UK entry to the euro have already been met, according to a new academic study.
Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee
MINUTES - The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday released the minutes of its Federal Open Market Committee Meeting of 7 May 2002, released 27 June.
Polish central bank head denies resignation rumour
POLAND - Central bank president Leszek Balcerowicz denied rumours on Friday that he wanted to resign as the Polish National Bank (NBP) president and the Monetary Policy Council (RPP) head.
Armenia to reinforce protective features of notes
ARMENIA - From 1 July 2002, the Central Bank of Armenia will put into circulation 1,000-dram banknotes with an enhanced protection system and a number of changes in its design.
Search may be on for a Greenspan replacement
US - Reports indicate that the Bush administration has commenced an informal search for Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's successor, reports the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
Intervention pushes dollar back above 120
UK - The dollar surged back over 120 against the yen on Friday and made headway against the euro after Japan's finance ministry confirmed it had asked other central banks to intervene on its behalf to help weaken the Japanese currency.
HKMA chiefs are overpaid, study finds
HONG KONG - Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) chief Joseph Yam is one of many high ranking officials who may be forced to take pay cuts of at least 12 per cent if their governing boards endorse the recommendations of a pay study.
Has the fourth euro entry test already been passed
UK - In all the coverage of Gordon Brown's Mansion House speech on Wednesday night, it went largely unnoticed that he had in effect declared that one of the five tests for euro entry had been passed. Friday's Financial Times picked up on the story.