News
Meirelles: Brazil's inflation target won't change
Brazilian Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles said on Thursday 22 April that the strict inflation targets set for 2004 and 2005 would not budge despite investor fears they may hinder badly needed growth.
Fed's Ferguson: no threat from current account gap
Speaking on Friday April 23, Roger Ferguson, Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve, said that there was no reason to fear that the process of reining in big US trade deficits would disrupt global economic activity.
Trichet defends ECB stance on rates
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview that the bank is "neutral" on interest rates but insisted any changes in the economic outlook will be considered. He also said the sharp rise in oil prices poses a risk to the global economy unless…
Kansas Fed's Hoenig expects US growth this year
The president of the Kansas Fed said Thursday night that he expects a 4 1/2 percent to 5 percent increase in U.S. gross domestic product this year.
Constancio: EU's 10 new members must curb deficits
Vitor Constancio, the governor of the central bank of Portugal, said Friday that the 10 countries set to join the European Union on May 1 should remain outside the eurozone until their public deficits are well below the EU's three percent limit.
Welteke's parting words
Here we republish Ernst Welteke's personal statement on his resignation from the Bundesbank. In the statement Welteke said the Bundesbank's independence continued to be flouted and that the trust between himself and the Ministry of Finance had been …
Fukui to visit Washington for G-7, IMF meetings
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Toshihiko Fukui will visit Washington for a five-day stay from Thursday 22 April to attend weekend meetings of the Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bank chiefs, the BOJ said Wednesday.
Meirelles tells Wall St Brazil is on right track
Brazilian Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles attempted to calm investor worries over Brazil on wednesday 21 April by stressing that the economy would meet its fiscal targets for 2004.
IMF upgrades outlook for world economic growth
The International Monetary Fund said in its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook report that it was lowering its 2004 eurozone growth estimate by a tenth of a point from its forecast last September, to 1.7 percent.
Report says China to move towards floating rates
A senior Chinese official told the UK Financial Times that Beijing no longer favours a fixed exchange rate and will move toward a floating system as part of reforms to loosen capital controls and give market forces more scope, the newspaper reported…
Sweden's Heikensten on financial developments
Sveriges Riksbank Governor Lars Heikensten on Tuesday 20 April spoke in Vastervik at a seminar. Besides touching upon future developments in inflation, Heikensten discussed some financial aspects.
Bank of England MPC Minutes 7/8 April
Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting were released on 21 April for the meeting of 7 and 8 April 2004. Eight of the nine MPC members opted to keep interest rates unchanged with only deputy governor Andrew Large supporting a…
BOJ's Suda says must tolerate rate rises
Bank of Japan Policy Board member Miyako Suda said on Wednesday 21 April that small rises in interest rates need to be tolerated because they reflect Japan's recovering economy.
Stability Pact crucial for EMU says Trichet
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Dutch television that the stability pact was crucial for the European Monetary Union and that the Netherlands had taken appropriate steps to avoid a budget deficit of above three per cent.
Speed of US rate rise key - Padoa-Schioppa
The risks to the US economy from a rise in US interest rates will depend on the speed at which the Federal Reserve moves, European Central Bank executive board member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa said on Tuesday 20 April.
Vigorous growth yet to produce inflation-Greenspan
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Wednesday 21 April in testimony titled "The economic outlook" that the U.S. economy is in a `vigorous expansion' that has not yet produced `broad-based' inflation pressures.
Germany nominates new central bank head
An economics professor, Alex Weber, is the German government's surprise choice for Bundesbank president. Government officials officially nominated the 47-year-old University of Cologne professor after a cabinet meeting on the morning of Wednesday 21…
Minutes from the Sveriges Riksbank Meeting, 31 Mar
Minutes of the Sveriges Riksbank Executive Board meeting on 31 March, published 20 April. The minutes said the Swedish economy would recover gradually and largely follow the developments estimated in the Riksbank's December Inflation Report. This meant…
OECD calls for eurozone interest rate cut
Eurozone interest rates should be cut by the European Central Bank, the head of the OECD suggested Monday.
Austrian ECB member sees euro zone recovery
Klaus Liebscher, a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank, said Tuesday he expects the euro zone economy to recover this year.
Rates could rise, still accommodative says MC Teer
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert McTeer said in a television interview Tuesday the US central bank could raise interest rates and still stimulate the economy.
Fukui: too early to consider ending easy policy
Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui said on Tuesday that it was too early to start considering ending the central bank's super-loose monetary policy.
Iraq's central bank to link with 7500 institutions
The Governor of the Iraqi Central Bank Sinan al-Shibibi said that a system will be used to link with more than 7500 financial institutions in 200 countries, according to a news agency report.
Riksbank to guarantee capital cover to subsidiary
Decision on capital injection during the winding up of the Riksbank's wholly-owned subsidiary, Pengar i Sverige AB, 16 April. The Executive Board of the Riksbank decided at its meeting on 31 March 2004 to guarantee capital cover of up to SEK 75 million.