News
International finance meetings back on agenda
UK - The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are finalising plans to call meetings of their powerful policy-making committees within two months. The meetings were postponed after the 11 September attacks.
World's most unusual central bank
AFGHANISTAN - This is no ordinary central bank. The currency reserves of the Northern Alliance - large wads of Afghani notes that arrive from neighbouring Tajikistan - are kept in a broom cupboard in a mud-walled hut in the dusty Afghan town of Khoja…
Ecofin mins press rate cut case - ECB receptive
LUXEMBOURG - Euro zone finance ministers kept the heat on the European Central Bank to lower interest rates yesterday, Monday 15 October - and there are signs that central bankers may be sympathetic to their views.
Indonesia to issue US$390 million short term bonds
INDONESIA - The government will issue short term bonds valued at Rp3.9 trillion (US$390 million) next year to cover a deficit in the 2002 state budget, an official said.
Ex-economics minister again c bank council member
ESTONIA - Along with the president's decision to relieve Mihkel Parnoja of the post of economics minister, Parnoja's powers as member of the supervisory council of the Bank of Estonia were restored.
BoE's Clementi says "clear downside risk" to rates
UK - Bank of England deputy governor David Clementi said on Friday there were "clear downside risks" to UK interest rates due to the slowing world economy, made worse by September's attacks on the United States.
Has a Recession Already Started? - FRBSF
US - In this latest Economic Letter, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank Senior Research Advisor Glenn Rudebusch examines the definition and dating of recessions.
Richmond Fed's Broaddus says inflation target good
US - Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Alfred Broaddus said on Friday 12 October the Fed should have an explicit long-term inflation objective to further boost the U.S. central bank's credibility.
Duisenberg adds voice to fears over EU hopefuls
GREECE - The European Central Bank raised fresh concerns on Wednesday 17 October over the economic policies of future European Union members, underlining its doubts over their fitness for swift entry to the single currency.
RBI plan reserve to cushion investment value moves
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India is toying with the idea of directing banks to create a special reserve as a cushion for any adverse movements in the value of their investment portfolios that may be triggered off by interest rate volatility.
Japanese policy makers clash over economy
JAPAN - Japanese policy makers are increasingly clashing on how to fix the nation's moribund economy, with the finance minister issuing a clear call for re-inflating the economy by actively boosting price levels, even as the central bank decided not to…
Swaziland on money-laundering alert
SWAZILAND - Swaziland is on alert for foreign organisations trying to channel money through the tiny African kingdom after a government official was offered a bribe, authorities said on Monday 15 October.
Euro coins out in Austria ahead of official launch
AUSTRIA - A small volume of euro-denominated coins have already entered into circulation amongst the general public in Austria. This is despite the fact that starter packs of euro coins are not officially due to be released to private citizens until mid…
Greenspan upbeat on economy
US - Prospects for the future of the US economy have been "scarcely diminished" by the 11 September attacks, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has said.
Financial regulator rejects Tory call for probe
UK - The City regulator has rejected Conservative calls for an investigation of the government's role in the collapse of Railtrack, and told MPs if impropriety were proven it would be up to the government to prosecute itself.
Vietnam's Eximbank begins payments scheme
VIETNAM - The joint stock Commercial Bank for Import and Export of Vietnam, Eximbank, held on 11 October the second phase of bidding for the project "Intrabank payment system and Eximbank's applications."
Repse's deputy may take a shot at top position
LATVIA - The Bank of Latvia vice-president Ilmars Rimsevics may agree to run for the top position with the central bank, if approached with such an offer.
Minutes of Bank of England MPC meeting 3-4 October
MINUTES - The Bank of England has published the minutes from its Monetary Policy Committee meeting held on 3 and 4 October.
Minutes of Bank of England special MPC meeting
MINUTES - The Bank of England has published the minutes from its special Monetary Policy Committee meeting held on 18 September.
Sweden's Riksbank leaves repo rate unchanged
SWEDEN - Sweden's central bank, Sveriges Riksbank, left its key repo rate unchanged at 3.75% Tuesday 16 October, as expected, in conjunction with the release of its latest inflation report.
Thai central bank head: IMF satisfied with rates
THAILAND - The governor of the Bank of Thailand, Pridiyathorn Devakula, said Monday 15 October that the management team of the International Monetary Fund was satisfied with the level of the bank's policy signalling interest rate.
Hearing on nominees to US Fed set for 17 Oct
US - The U.S. Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on 17 October to consider two candidates for the Federal Reserve Board, a Senate aide said on Friday 12 October.
EU candidates told not to focus only on inflation
UK - Central banks in countries seeking to join the European Union should ensure that their battle against inflation doesn't harm economic growth, a senior official at the European Central Bank said.
Fed's Ferguson - Long term US econ prospects sound
US - Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger Ferguson on Tuesday said the U.S. economy's longer-term prospects "remain sound," but said it is not known how long it will be before U.S. economic growth begins to recover from the events of 11 September.