News
Bank of Japan says end of deflation in sight
The Bank of Japan said on Monday 31 October that the seven-year period of deflation will end in the year to March 2006.
China forex reserves expected to hit $820 bn
China's foreign exchange reserves are expected to total $820 billion by the end of 2005 on strong trade inflows, an economist at a government think tank said.
Bank of Israel lowers pay for new workers
The Bank of Israel will pay new workers 30 per cent less than current employees, under an agreement reached between the central bank, its workers union and the Finance Ministry.
Brazil central bank workers end month long strike
Brazil's central bank employees resumed work this week after a one month strike which delayed the release of important macroeconomic data.
Iceland's Oddsson waives pension rights
David Oddsson, former prime minister and new governor of the Central Bank of Iceland, has declined to take up a retirement pension for his 13 years as prime minister and one year as foreign minister.
Interview with PBOC's Xiang Junbo
In a recent interview People's Bank of China deputy governor, Xiang Junbo, said the central bank has been undergoing institutional changes. The establishment of the PBOC Shanghai Head Office is an important step to improve the central bank system and to…
Bernanke steps into Greenspan's shoes
Although Ben Bernanke was nominated as Fed chairman this week, he has shown in the past that he isn't a fan of the conservative dress code favoured by central bankers. Bernanke surprised George W Bush by wearing a pair of tan socks with a dark suit to a…
Central bankers welcome Fed nominee
Following Ben Bernanke's nomination to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve, central bankers were out in force this week to welcome the move.
Interview with RBI governor YV Reddy
In an interview published on Wednesday 26 October, Reserve Bank of India governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy said baby steps are the fashion of the day. Nowadays, in monetary policy, no one takes big steps.
Interview with Ben Bernanke
In an interview published on Tuesday 25 October, but conducted before his nomination to the Fed, Ben Bernanke said that there was so far little reason to fear that the sharp rise in energy prices would feed through into wider inflation.
Serdengecti: Hot money flows no threat to Turkey
Turkey's central bank governor is "not scared" of hot money flows to the country, the governor of the central bank, Sureyya Serdengecti said in London on Thursday 27 October.
Uzbekistan freezes currency convertibility- report
The Uzbek authorities have suspended the convertibility of the national currency for current-account transactions in order to curb rising inflation, the Kazakh newspaper Delovaya Nedelya reported on 28 October.
Berlusconi suggests new mandate for ECB
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Thursday 27 October that he had suggested to fellow European Union leaders the idea of changing the European Central Bank's mandate because inflation no longer represented a problem for the eurozone.
Wellink sees increased inflation concern for ECB
European Central Bank council member Nout Wellink said in an interview that the bank is ``increasingly concerned about inflation,'' echoing comments by other ECB officials.
Fed pick Bernanke meets with Senators
Federal Reserve nominee Ben Bernanke began making courtesy calls on Thursday 27 October with senators who will determine his nomination's fate.
RBNZ increases OCR to 7 per cent
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 7.00 per cent on Thursday. RBNZ governor Alan Bollard said medium term inflation risks remain strong.
Rato: Economic impact of oil may not remain benign
IMF managing director Rodrigo Rato said in an article that there is a risk that the economic impact of high oil prices may not continue to be as benign as it has been up to now.
RBI's Reddy sees demand pressure build up
Reserve Bank of India governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy said on Wednesday 26 October that price pressures were building up in the country which is expected to grow 7.0-7.5 percent by March 2006.
Liikanen says ECB on alert over inflation risk
European Central Bank Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen said on Thursday 27 October that rising energy costs create significant risks to long-term inflationary expectations in the euro zone.
Brazil sees 'transitory' inflation pressure
Brazil's central bank said in minutes of its COPOM meeting released on Thursday 27 October that it was closely monitoring "transitory" price pressures before it made rate decisions in the coming months.
Bank of Canada Fixed Income Markets conference
The Financial Markets Department of the Bank of Canada has announced it will host a conference on Fixed Income Markets to be held at the Bank of Canada on 3 and 4 May, 2006.
PBOC clarifies vice governor's remarks
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) said the yuan exchange rate will not keep on appreciating indefinitely, clarifying an earlier media report that quoted central bank vice governor Wu Xiaoling as saying that the yuan will further rise.
Dodge sees 'high degree of liquidity' in market
Canadian interest rates are low enough to allow substantial liquidity on domestic financial markets, Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge told the House of Commons finance committee on Tuesday 25 October.
ECB's Weber says inflation risk 'noticeably' up
European Central Bank Governing Council member and Bundesbank President Axel Weber said upward risk for euro area price stability has grown "noticeably", with inflation expected "with sufficient certainty" not to duck below 2% by the end of next year.