News
Modest pay, one term 'best' for central bankers
A new study says that Europe's central bank chiefs should receive only modest pay and serve just a single term in office to avoid self interest creeping into interest rate decisions. It also found that limited terms and confidential interest rate…
Kidnap! Iraq's central bank manager seized
Gunmen have kidnapped the general manager of the Central Bank of Iraq in front of his home in eastern Baghdad, state-owned television reported.
Robbery! Brazil's central bank loses $68m
How do you lose $68m? The central bank of Brazil is asking itself the same question after thieves tunnelled in to bank and made this massive withdrawal.
China appoints new central bank vice governor
Hu Xiaolian has been appointed vice governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) by China's State Council, the cabinet, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Bank of Canada's speech for 25 August cancelled
A speech that Bank of Canada deputy governor Sheryl Kennedy was due to give in New Brunswick on 25 August has been cancelled, the central bank said on Thursday 19 August.
Govt won't seek Fazio resignation - minister
The Italian government will not seek the resignation of central bank governor, Antonio Fazio, despite pressures for his removal because of his opposition to the takeover of two Italian banks by foreign companies, a minister was reported as saying by a…
Academics discuss East Asian Monetary Union
Academics meeting on Friday 19 August called for Asian nations to set up a regional cooperative body similar to the EU and adopt a common East Asian currency.
Budget misquoted says BoT governor
Bank of Thailand governor Pridiyathorn Devakula confirmed Thursday 18 August that the investment budget of the government's infrastructure development projects remains unchanged at 1.7 trillion baht and admitted that he had seen the wrong investment…
Philippine cb expects more bank consolidation
Philippine central bank governor Amando Tetangco told reporters on Thursday 18 August he expects the banking sector to continue consolidating this year.
NY Fed conference on The Economics of Payments II
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York published on Thursday 18 August a call for papers for a conference on "The Economics of Payments II," being held from 29-30 March 2006.
RBA could hold meetings 'every two months'
The Reserve Bank of Australia could meet every second month, rather than holding the current monthly monetary policy meetings, a former central bank board member said.
Iran and Bahrain link ATM systems
The Iranian ATM system has been connected to that of Bahrain, allowing the customers of Bahraini banks to use the ATM machines in Iran and vice versa.
Serb central bank upbeat on IMF warning
Radovan Jelasic, governor of Serbia's central bank, predicted on Tuesday 16 August that the government would react positively to warnings from the International Monetary Fund that its loan arrangement was in jeopardy.
Growth rate in Korea at second-lowest: ADB
Korea's economic growth rate for 2006 will be the second-lowest out of a dozen Asian economies, the Asia Development Bank predicted in a report.
Copom holds Selic at 19.75% with no bias
The monetary policy committee of the Brazilian central bank announced Wednesday 17 August after its two-day meeting that, as expected, it is holding Selic (base rate) unchanged at 19.75% annually with no bias.
World Bank projects China's growth to slow
China's economic growth will fall to about 8 percent in 2006 from 9 percent this year as domestic demand declines, the World Bank predicted Wednesday 17 August.
Singapore, UAE sign MOU on securities markets
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Tuesday 16 August that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (ESCA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
SNB says rates won't stay low for long
A recovery in the Swiss economy will probably take interest rates higher sooner rather later, according to a central bank board member in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday 17 August.
Colombian central bank to sell reserves to govt
Colombia's central bank said on Tuesday 16 August that it will sell more foreign reserves to the government, in a similar deal to a $1.25-billion sale carried out earlier this year to pay off a debt.
Poland's Walesa: EU membership of limited value
Lech Walesa has said European Union membership has failed to improve living standards enough or increase the nation's influence in EU policymaking.
Romania's central bank reports inflation falling
Romania's central bank governor said on Monday 15 August that the economy was growing strongly and he expected inflation to fall in the third quarter of this year.
Bank Indonesia says rupiah rate 'realistic'
Bank Indonesia governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said the 2006 draft budget assumption of the rupiah's average exchange rate next year at 9,400 to the US dollar is "realistic".
Malaysia to play key role in financial integration
Malaysia can play a significant role in integrating East Asian financial markets such as developing the Asian Bond Market (ABM), Asian common currency and the proposed Asian bond banks, economics professor Dr S. Ghon Rhee said.
PBOC issues property bubble warning
The People's Bank of China warned Monday 15 August that China faces a potential property "bubble" which could leave banks with huge losses if it burst.