News
BOJ: Japan may be moving to US model
Japan's economy may be moving toward a U.S.-style pattern of consumer-led growth, said Hideo Hayakawa, director-general at the Bank of Japan's research and statistics department.
Snow says higher rates won't dampen US growth
US Treasury Secretary John Snow on Tuesday 29 June expressed optimism that rising market-based interest rates will not act as a drag on the US economic recovery. The Federal Reserve was expected to raise US interest rates at the conclusion of its FOMC…
UK's King says MPC doesn't target house prices
The Bank of England's governor Mervyn King insisted on Tuesday 29 June that the interest rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee does not target house prices when it sets interest rates.
Koizumi supports Japan's zero rates
Japanese five-year notes rose for a second day on Wednesday 30 June after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said conditions are not yet right for the Bank of Japan to end its policy of keeping interest rates close to zero.
Euro central rates & compulsory intervention rates
Further to the decisions taken on 27 June 2004 on the euro central rates in ERM II for the Estonian kroon, the Lithuanian litas and the Slovenian tolar, the compulsory intervention rates for these currencies have been established with effect from 28 June…
Three new currencies included in ERM II
At the request of the Estonian, Lithuanian and Slovenian authorities, the ministers of the euro area Member States of the European Union, the President of the European Central Bank and the ministers and the central bank governors of Denmark and Estonia…
New version of the ECB's website
The European Central Bank (ECB) launched a new version of its website (www.ecb.int) on Saturday, 26 June. The site's design has been modernised and the contents restructured in order to make it more user-friendly, the ECB said.
New online resource for banking supervisors
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) announced on 29 June the launch of FSI Connect, an online information and learning resource developed by the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) specifically for banking supervisors.
Bank of Zambia implements Perago RTGS network
The Bank of Zambia has implemented an electronic funds transfer system supplied by Perago Financial System Enablers, according to FinExtra, to align the national banking industry with international standards for real-time gross settlement (RTGS).
Fed set to begin 'measured' rate-rise campaign
Federal Reserve officials are set to raise interest rates on Tuesday 29 June for the first time in four years -- the first step in what they have said will be a "measured" campaign to keep inflation under control as the US economy strengthens.
IMF says Russian banking oversight adequate
The International Monetary Fund thinks the Central Bank of Russia's banking sector oversight is adequate, Poul Thomsen, head of the IMF's Moscow office, told a press conference at Interfax.
G10 central bank governors endorse Basel II
Central bank governors and the heads of bank supervisory authorities in the Group of Ten (G10) countries met on 26 June and endorsed the publication of the International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards: a Revised Framework, the…
PBOC's Zhou says China managing to slow economy
China's central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said Sunday that progress in efforts to cool the country's booming economy has been satisfactory but he could take additional measures if they yielded few results.
ECB's Garganas: Eurozone recovery continuing
The euro zone economy is recovering as expected and the drop in German June business sentiment is not a concern, European Central Bank Governing Council Member Nicolas Garganas said on Sunday.
Buenaventura: Politics putting pressure on peso
The Philippine currency is two to three pesos lower in value against the US dollar than it should be due to political uncertainty, central bank chief Rafael Buenaventura said Monday.
Banks taking on 'tenuous' risks - BIS
Banks worldwide may be taking on risks they will regret later if an economic upturn proves short-lived, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) said on Monday.
Welteke settles for €25,000 fine
Ernst Welteke has agreed to pay 25,000 euros ($30,000)to charity to end a criminal probe into his conduct. Last week we reported his lawyers had rejected a demand of 50,000 euros saying the sum was "much too high".
Bundesbank board don't want new code of conduct
Some board members of the Bundesbank do not want to comply with a new code of conduct for the time being, following the scandal surrounding former president Ernst Welteke, and the latest one reportedly involving public money to build luxury villas for…
ECB board bypass Frankfurt
Apparently none of the Frankfurt based European Central Bank's board members actually live in Frankfurt, the FT revealed this week.
Trichet shown red card for speaking English
French deputies walked out of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly on Monday 21 June when ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet began addressing a meeting in English, according to Reuters.
Germany draft Weder onto 'Five Wise Men' panel
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's cabinet approved Beatrice Weder di Mauro, a university economist, as the first woman and first foreigner to join the government's council of economic advisers, the so called "Five Wise Men".
Fed seeks nominations to Consumer Advisory Council
The Federal Reserve Board has announced that it is seeking nominations for appointments to its Consumer Advisory Council. Eleven new members will be appointed to serve three-year terms beginning in January 2005.
Zimbabwe's Gono ducks missiles on SA trip
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono was in South Africa this week to launch Homelink, a plan to encourage Zimbabweans living abroad to send home money through government channels. But the trip descended into chaos when Gono was booed by crowds…
Taiwan appoints new regulator chief
Taiwan has appointed Jaw Sheng Kong as chairman of the newly formed Financial Supervisory Commission. Kong, 48, is currently chairman of state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corp, said the Executive Yuan, the island's Cabinet.