News
Gold investors hope for new central bank accord
Since 1999 the gold price has soared by more than 39 per cent even as European central banks have sold more than 1 594 tons of bullion from their reserves. But what those central banks do next could determine where gold goes from here, reports Bloomberg.
Offshore centres complain to WTO re FATF
A group of offshore centres have lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) about the imposition of international money laundering rules by the FATF, Basel committee and OECD.
US congress raises doubts over Basel II
The prospect that the US Congress would block ratification of the new accord seems to have increased following a letter from the house committee on financial services which has been scrutinising the accord.
Former Boston Fed boss to head Freddie Mac
Richard Syron, president of the Boston Fed from 1989-94 and in charge during the bailout of New England's largest bank, was appointed chief executive and chairman of Freddie Mac on Sunday 7 December.
Official gold sales may rise - ex BIS FX head
A renewal of the Central Bank Gold agreement - which runs out in September 2004 - could raise the amount sold by 20%, according to the former head of foreign exchange and gold at the Bank for International Settlements.
Ortiz gets the nod for second term
Vicente Fox, Mexico's president, nominated Guillermo Ortiz for a second six-year term as governor of the central bank on Friday 5 December. Santiago Creel, the interior secretary, said at a news conference Friday that Ortiz's nomination had been formally…
BIS Quarterly Review - Dec 2003
The latest quarterly offering from the BIS includes updates on the world economy, international banking, debt and derivative markets as well as special features on the credit spread puzzle; common factors in emerging market spreads; sovereign credit…
The future of Europe's payments: Target 2
The Eurosystem's payment system - Target - is set for a restructuring which will place emphasis on consolidation and cost effectiveness of the existing linked national payment systems. In this brochure the ECB outlines what Target 2 will require of…
ECB press conference with questions and answers
At the ECB's post meeting press conference on Thursday 4 December, Jean-Claude Trichet said the overall fiscal framework of the Stability and Growth Pact remains of central importance and should be fully respected. The same applies to the requirement to…
Riksbank leaves repo rate left unchanged at 2.75%
Sveriges Riksbank, the central bank of Sweden, left interest rates unchanged at its meeting on Thursday 4 December. In a statement the Riksbank said its assessment of international economic activity had not changed significantly in recent months but…
Report by Task Force on Major Financial Disruption
Bank of England's Task Force publishes report on whether new statutory powers are needed to deal with major operational disruption, 3 December 2003. In the report Sir Andrew Large, deputy governor, said financial institutions should reassess large…
Jurgen Stark on ECOFIN Council decision
In a statement following the ECOFIN Council's decision on the stability and growth pact, Bundesbank Vice President Jurgen Stark said the "decision of the ECOFIN Council threatens to break the political consensus of the Maastricht Treaty, which is also…
Korean cb, government differ on reserve management
A Korean presidential committee has said it will grant a soon-to-be-established corporation management control over about $20 billion in foreign reserves despite objections from the Bank of Korea, according to the Korea Herald. The BOK argued that the…
Venezuela announces more flexible currency control
President of the central bank of Venezuela, Domingo Maza Zavala, has said that currency controls would be made "substantially" more flexible for the new year, reports VenezuelAnalysis.
Budget boost for BNB
Bulgaria's budget for 2004 will provide an extra 8.5 million leva for the National Bank of Bulgaria, reports the Sofia Echo. The largest part of the additional 8.5 million leva will be used for support of money flow, for which 5.2 million leva has been…
Public to grill RBA chief Macfarlane
The governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia Ian Macfarlane will appear before a federal parliamentary economics committee on Monday 8 December, according to a report by The Age.. It's the first time he has faced the six-monthly public hearings in…
US backs expulsion of 'pariah' Zimbabwe from IMF
US deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli has backed moves to expel Zimbabwe from the IMF, termed a "compulsory withdrawal", saying "We believe that Zimbabwe's actions have made it a pariah in the international community", according to an AFP…
ECB monetary policy decision
At Thursday's meeting the Governing Council of the ECB decided that the minimum bid rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 2.00%, 3.00% and 1.00%…
RBNZ leaves OCR unchanged
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand decided to leave the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 5.0 per cent on 4 November.
BGN 100 banknote introduced in Sofia
The governor of the National Bank of Bulgaria Ivan Iskrov introduced the first BGN 100 banknote in Sofia on Wednesday 3 december, according to a report by Sofia Morning News, with deputy governor Tsvetan Manchev explaining that the note will make cash…
BOK opens up office in Beijing
The Bank of Korea said on Thursday 4 December thatit has opened a new office in Beijing, reports Chosun Ilbo. The BOK said it was the first foreign central bank to open an office there.
ECB has no comment on EU currency controls report
The ECB declined to comment, according to Reuters, on a newspaper report on Thursday 4 December that the EC is looking at the legal issues surrounding exchange controls to prevent a damaging rise in the euro. The report said Brussels could lawfully…
Germany works to reduce budget deficit
The German government forecast on Wednesday 3 December that its budget deficit will drop back to 2.5 percent in 2005, according to a report by Associated Press. But it reaffirmed Hans Eichel's position that Germany isn't prepared to implement extra…
Economic recovery has started in Eurozone: Trichet
The ECB left interest rates unchanged on Thursday 4 Decemberat its last meeting scheduled for this year, reports AFP. Speaking at a press conference following the meeting of the ECB rate-setting council, President Jean-Claude Trichet said economic…