News
Bank of Japan warns of recession
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan has acknowledged the world's second largest economy will shrink this year by cutting a growth forecast for 2001 that many economists have long viewed as unrealistic.
Japanese output slumps
JAPANESE - Industrial production in the world's second largest economy slumped by a worse-than-expected 2.9% in September following last month's attacks on the US.
Japan in new territory after two years deflation
JAPAN - The Japanese government admitted Friday that the country had notched up two entire years of deflation - a phenomenon not seen since the second world war in an industrialised country and only rarely experienced in history.
Fed's Poole - More rate cuts to be made if needed
US - The U.S. economy may show some signs of recovery toward the end of this year, said William Poole, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Emergency meeting on terrorist funds
US - An international taskforce is to hold an emergency meeting in Washington to decide what can be done to trace and block terrorist funds.
Several ECB members wanted 11 Oct rate cut: Report
GERMANY - Several members of the European Central Bank's governing council wanted to cut interest rates at its 11 October meeting in Vienna, according to a report to be published late Monday in French daily Le Monde.
Trichet: Have confidence in inflation deceleration
FRANCE - Bank of France Governor and European Central Bank Executive Board member Jean-Claude Trichet said Friday that he's confident inflation in the euro zone will continue to decelerate.
Ukraine attractive to foreign investors - Nat Bank
UKRAINE - The economy of Ukraine is becoming increasingly attractive to foreign investors, a Ukrainian source quotes Anatoliy Shapovalov, First Deputy Board Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine, as saying in a speech.
Omani banks form national ATM network
OMAN - A deal to form a national ATM network called Oman Switch by merging Shamel ATM switch and al-Watani ATM switch was signed at the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) on 17 October in the presence of Hamood bin Sanjoor al-Zadjali, CBO Executive President.
Taiwan Sept bad check ratio 0.86% vs August 0.78%
TAIWAN - Taiwan's bad check ratio in terms of the number of checks issued rose to 0.86% in September from 0.78% in August, the island's central bank said Monday.
Austrian central bank warns of forged euro notes
AUSTRIA - Wolfgang Duchatczek, a director of central bank Oesterreichische Nationalbank (ONB), has warned Austrian consumers to be on the look-out for forged euro banknotes following the launch of the new European single currency on 1 January 2002.
NIESR report - UK to avoid slide into recession
UK - The UK will weather a sharp global slowdown and there is no reason to cut interest rates further, according to a leading think-tank.
Greenspan sets out defence of free markets
US - Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve chairman, speaking on Wednesday levelled one of his most aggressive defences yet of free markets, while warning that the prospect of additional terrorist acts threatened to reduce trade and its economic benefits.
UK economy defies world slowdown in Q3
UK - Britain's economy grew at a much faster rate than expected in the third quarter of 2001, defying the global slowdown that has been exacerbated by last month's attacks on the United States, data showed on Friday.
Swiss SNB sells 7.7 tons of gold in 10-day period
SWITZERLAND - The Swiss National Bank sold around 7.715 metric tons of surplus gold in its latest 10-day reporting period ended 19 October, central bank statistics showed Monday.
NBU's gold-currency reserves over US $3 billion
UKRAINE - As of 19 October the National Bank of Ukraine's gross gold-currency reserves had reached a record US$ 3.007 billion, having increased by US$ 1.379 billion since the beginning of the year.
Thai central bank set to streamline four units
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand is restructuring its four organisational units: the financial institutions policy group, monetary policy group, fund operations (Financial Institutions Development Fund) and the office of the governor.
Fed's McTeer - Rate cuts not effective enough yet
US - Four percentage points worth of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have so far not done enough to help the struggling U.S. economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert McTeer said Wednesday.
BOK to pursue flexible monetary policy
SOUTH KOREA - The Bank of Korea (BOK) will manage its monetary policy in a flexible manner, paying attention to its effect on the real economy, BOK governor Chon Chol-hwan said Thursday in a speech.
UK Moneybox install cash dispenser in Netherlands
NETHERLANDS - Moneybox Netherlands, a subsidiary of UK Moneybox Corporation, is to install 750 cash dispenser in the Netherlands, the company spokesman said on 23 October.
European Central Bank - Monetary Policy Decisions
ECB PRESS RELEASE - Monetary policy decisions, 25 October 2001.
Canada's Dodge offers little hope for 2002 economy
CANADA - Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge in a speech on Wednesday chipped away at hopes the Canadian economy might recover in 2002 from its current slowdown, a sickly state worsened by the attacks on the United States last month.
Canada cuts rates to lowest level in 40 years
CANADA - The Bank of Canada surprised the markets by cutting interest rates by three-quarters of a point to the lowest level in 40 years on Tuesday.
ECB leaves interest rates on hold
EUROPE - The European Central Bank has left interest rates unchanged at 3.75% on Thursday.