News
Measured rate rises appropriate says Fed's Stern
Minneapolis Fed President Gary Stern said on Monday 19 July that the US economy is on track for solid growth and the Federal Reserve still intends to raise interest rates at a moderate pace.
EU Commission says EMU has brought stability
The European Commission has said in a report that the first five years of economic and monetary union have resulted in economic stability, but not sustained growth.
Bundesbank reports German economy picking up
Growth of the German economy, the biggest in the euro zone, is likely to have outpaced the first-quarter rate of 0.4% in the second quarter of the current year, the Bundesbank said on Monday 19 July.
OECD urges Japan to keep up regulatory reform
Regulatory reform is already well under way in Japan but should be continued and strengthened if Japan is to reap all the opportunities of its current recovery, according to a new OECD report.
Court hears BCCI claims 'implausible'
Lawyers for the Bank of England said on Monday 19 July that allegations that 22 of its officials acted with dishonesty when they allowed Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA to operate in the UK are "fundamentally implausible."
OECD chief to visit Japan and discuss economy
The secretary general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Donald Johnston, will start a five-day visit to Japan on Tuesday 20 July for talks with Cabinet ministers and business leaders on issues such as Japanese economy and…
Erkki Liikanen takes up post at Bank of Finland
Erkki Liikanen took up the post of the Bank of Finland's new Governor and Chairman of the Board on Monday 12 July. His term of office is seven years, and the same person may assume office for two terms.
New Chief Economist appointed in Iceland
The Board of Governors of the Central Bank of Iceland has appointed Arnor Sighvatsson Chief Economist and Director of the Economics Department, effective from 23 June.
Bank of Canada appoints Special Adviser
The Bank of Canada announced the appointment of Professor Christopher Ragan to the position of Special Adviser during the year 2004-2005 this week. Professor Ragan, whose areas of interest include government debt, inflation, monetary policy, and exchange…
Jordan appoints new deputy governor
During its weekly session on Tuesday 13 July, the Jordanian Cabinet decided to appoint Sharif Faris Abdul Hamid Sharaf as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) succeeding Saleh Tayeh who had earlier submitted his resignation, the Jordan…
New board game in Argentina aims to beat the IMF
A new board game called 'Eternal Debt' is keeping people in Argentina busy at the moment. The point of the game is to try to beat the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by accumulating the least debt. The game is subtitled 'Who can beat the IMF?' and it…
Khodorkovsky wants Gerashchenko off Yukos board
Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky plans to request the company shareholders consider dismissing former chairman of the central bank of Russia, Viktor Gerashchenko, from his post of chairman of the company's board of directors, Khodorkovsky's lawyer…
Japan's former economy minister wins seat
Former Japanese economy minister Heizo Takenaka won his first parliamentary election this week and said on Monday 12 July that he aims to get Japan's growth back on track.
EMEAP - Eurosystem high level seminar in Singapore
Eleven Central Bank Governors from the Executives' Meeting of East Asia-Pacific (EMEAP), the President of the European Central Bank and twelve Governors from the Eurosystem National Central Banks held a joint high-level seminar in Singapore on 16 July.
Brazil to propose central bank autonomy in 2005
Brazils government will present a proposal to grant the Central Bank autonomy by 2005, Finance Minister Antonio Palocci was quoted as saying in the Friday July 16 edition of the Financial Times.
Trichet confident Asian growth remains on track
ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet was in Singapore on Friday 16 July for a meeting with East Asia-Pacific central bank governors. Trichet said he is confident that the global interest rate environment remains benign and regional growth, led by China, is…
Japan 'half way' to overcoming deflation
While deflation has shown signs of easing in Japan, rising raw material prices still haven't affected consumer goods, signalling that price declines will continue, Japan's Cabinet Office said in its white paper on the economy.
Eurozone inflation eases to 2.4% in June
Eurozone inflation fell slightly in June to 2.4 percent on a 12-month basis from 2.5 percent in May, final data from the EU's statistical office Eurostat showed on Friday 16 July.
Polish finance minister resigns to join IMF
Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka said that Finance Minister Andrzej Raczko was leaving the government for a post at the International Monetary Fund and would be replaced on Wednesday by the economist Miroslaw Gronicki, AFP reported Friday.
Central bank staff may okay job action in Israel
The Bank of Israel labor union will meet next week to officially approve "lengthy strikes," Haaretz reported Friday 16 July. Central bank employees struck for one day last May.
Meyer's book lifts lid on life inside the Fed
Former Federal Reserve governor Laurence Meyer's new book reveals some insights on life inside the Fed. This review says Meyer was advised against saying anything in a speech that might move financial markets. In the book, Meyer writes that Chairman Alan…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, July 2004
The Bank of Japan released the English version of its monthly report on 15 July. Japan's economy continues to recover, with the increase in production and corporate profits exerting positive effects on employment, the central bank said.
Issing says ECB must check inflation expectations
European Central Bank Chief Economist Otmar Issing said it's important for the bank to prevent expectations of inflation from rising excessively, the Nihon Keizai newspaper said, citing an interview with Issing.
Bank of France raises growth forecast
The Bank of France raised its forecast for growth in the second and third quarters as June retail sales surged, manufacturers lifted production, and executives' confidence was its highest in more than three years.