News
Singapore, Thai central banks sign supervisory MOU
Singapore and Thailand have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for banking supervisory cooperation between the two countries, the MAS said Thursday 25 May.
MAS says common Asian currency unlikely soon
A top official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore has said that the establishment of a common Asian currency is unlikely to be realised in the near term.
China will strictly control new bank loans
China's banking regulator said in a statement published Thursday 25 May that it will strictly control the issuance of new loans.
China's reserve center to open in July
The China International Reserve Center will open in Shanghai this July, according to the China Knowledge website.
Bush has 'total confidence' in Bernanke
President George W. Bush has "total confidence" in Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke, a top White House adviser said in an interview on Thursday 25 May.
Blanchflower is 'no shrinking violet'
The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee's latest member, David Blanchflower, told the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday 24 May that his commitment to the rate setting MPC will form his "primary responsibility."
Stark appointed to ECB, Zeitler joins Buba
Jurgen Stark, vice-president of the Bundesbank, has been formally appointed to the European Central Bank's executive board, European Union officials announced Tuesday 23 May, according to the FT.
Bank of Canada raises rates
The Bank of Canada announced Wednesday 24 May that it is raising its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 4 1/4 per cent. The move had been widely expected.
IMF's Rato says global rate rises healthy
Increases in global interest rates are healthy and policy makers and central banks need to keep a watchful eye on inflation, the head of the International Monetary Fund said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday 24 May.
BOJ member sees reserve cut problem
According to minutes of the Bank of Japan's April 10-11 board meeting, published Wednesday 24 May, a policy maker said a rapid reduction in reserves by the central bank may spur speculation of an interest-rate increase from near zero.
Reuters signs Philippines to Kondor risk software
The central bank of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), has contracted with Reuters for the supply and implementation of the vendor's Kondor risk management technology.
Hoenig warns on rate overshoot - report
The Federal Reserve must guard against raising interest rates too high, Kansas City Federal Reserve President Tom Hoenig said Friday 19 May in an interview with the Wall Street Journal's Greg Ip.
African central bank sells gold
A private Saudi jeweller has bought 36 tonnes of raw gold from an African central bank for 1.8 billion riyals, a company spokesman was quoted by Reuters as saying on Monday 22 May, confirming a newspaper report.
Mersch says ECB will have to lift rates further
European Central Bank Governing Council member Yves Mersch said in an interview that eurozone interest rates will need to keep rising because of increased risks to price stability but that there was no fixed schedule.
BOJ's Fukui sees rates rising slowly - report
The Bank of Japan will raise interest rates gradually to keep inflation under control while also giving the economy time to recover, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun quoted BOJ governor Toshihiko Fukui as saying in an interview published Tuesday 23 May.
Bernanke regrets 'lapse of judgment'
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday 23 May during a Senate Banking Committee hearing that he suffered a "lapse of judgment" when he spoke to a CNBC reporter recently.
New MPC member set for grilling
The newest member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee is likely to face some tough questions when he faces MPs for his "confirmation" hearing on Wednesday 24 May, the FT reported.
Greenspan says housing bubble over
Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday 18 May, in his first public U.S. speech since retiring in January, that US consumption could fall now that the US housing market's "extraordinary boom" has ended.
ECB wants action on reform agenda - Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet on Monday 22 May called on the EU to implement its structural reform programme which has been revamped.
BoE's Nickell sees UK inflation checked
Spare capacity in the UK economy will help lower inflationary pressures, and will keep inflation below the Bank of England's target, according to outgoing Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member, Steve Nickell.
Roach urges new monetary policy approach
In comments published on Monday 22 May, Stephen Roach of Morgan Stanley said he is worried that central banking's recent record will not be judged kindly by history.
Rato says more Fed hikes may be needed
International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato said on Monday 22 May that the Federal Reserve may need to continue raising interest rates depending upon how US economic conditions evolve.
PBOC says China to boost yuan flexibility in 06
China will boost the flexibility of the yuan this year, the central bank said in its annual report published in the China Securities Journal over the weekend.
Qatar appoints Lord Woolf to regulatory tribunal
Lord Woolf, formerly Lord Chief Justice, is to be appointed as the senior judge for Qatar's new financial centre. He will become the first President of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Tribunal, which he will help establish, and he will preside over…