News
Santomero - Fed's ability to mend econ is limited
US - The Federal Reserve, which engaged in a nearly solitary struggle to keep the U.S. economy from collapsing last year, isn't capable of mending the economy on its own, a top policymaker for the U.S. central bank said Saturday.
Swedish central banker backs IMF bankruptcy plan
SWEDEN - An IMF plan for an international bankruptcy procedure could help financially troubled nations restructure their debt in an orderly manner and avoid the chaotic scenes witnessed in Argentina, says Riksbank's Heikensten.
UK Interest rates may have to rise: George
UK: The Governor of the Bank of England last night warned that interest rates might have to be raised to moderate consumer demand.
Bank of Finland finds faulty 500-euro notes
FINLAND- The Bank of Finland said on Friday it had found some flawed 500-euro banknotes and said more defective notes could be in circulation.
Argentina to unveil new economic plan on Friday
ARGENTINA - Congressman Jorge Remes Lenicov will be sworn in Thursday as Argentina's new economy minister and on Friday he will unveil a new series of economic measures, Buenos Aires Governor Carlos Ruckauf confirmed in an interview.
ECB interest rates unchanged
GERMANY - As widely expected the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged with officials largely focused this week on the launch of euro notes and coins.
Bank of Israel head rules out intervention
ISRAEL - Despite the shekel's weakening to a record low against the dollar, Bank of Israel Governor David Klein said the central bank would not intervene in the foreign currency market.
Polish government demands rate cut
POLAND - The Polish government will take its demand for a cut in interest rates directly to the central bank's rate-setting monetary policy council by January 12th, said government spokesman Michal Tober following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka central bank to cut staff by one-third
SRI LANKA - Sri Lanka's central bank said on Thursday it was shedding one-third of its staff under a restructuring scheme funded by the World Bank.
President hints at end of peso peg
ARGENTINA - Argentina has its fifth president in less than two weeks, veteran politician Mr Eduardo Duhalde immediately reaffirmed the moratorium on paying the country's US$132 billion ($258.9 billion) in public debt until its shattered economy resumes…
Euro changeover "better than expected"
GERMANY - The European Central Bank reported on Wednesday that the launch of euro cash was progressing smoothly despite exceptionally high demand for the new notes. "The euro cash changeover is going smoothly, even better than we had expected," said ECB…
ECB Welteke: conditions for growth in place
GERMANY - European Central Bank council member and Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke said that monetary policy has cleared the way for investment and economic growth in an interview published on Wednesday.
BOJ's Hayami - yen's fall too steep
JAPAN - The yen's recent fall has been too steep for his liking but an exchange rate of 130 to the dollar would benefit Japanese exporters, Bank of Japan governor Masaru Hayami said in a newspaper interview.
Trichet says ECB leadership succession not an issu
FRANCE - Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude Trichet, also a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank, said on Wednesday the leadership succession of the ECB was not an issue.
China to use IMF's GDDS
The official Xinhua news agency announced Monday that China plans to use the International Monetary Fund's General Data Dissemination System to improve the quality of its statistics.
Duisenberg to stay: "I like what I'm doing"
GERMANY - Wim Duisenberg said on Monday that he would not quit his job as President of the ECB for at least another year.
BOJ to provide special loans for failed bank
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) said on Friday that it had decided to provide special non-collateralised loans to failed second-tier regional bank Ishikawa Bank Ltd to ensure it will not run into liquidity problems.
Argentine president asks IMF for 'patience'
Argentine president Rodriguez Saa asked the IMF for 'patience' in dealing with the country's default as the central bank takes steps to alleviate debt repayment problems within the country. However, Argentine citizens seem to be expecting devaluation.
Confusion over 'argentino'
Uncertainty surrounds Argentina's new currency dubbed the 'argentino' and claims for its role in an 'orderly exit' from the peso-dollar peg.
Argentina: largest default in history
ARGENTINA - On Sunday Argentina announced the largest sovereign debt default in history, declaring it would stop paying its $155bn public debt. The new government headed by president, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, said the country would resist pressure to…
Singing the euro's praises
EURO - The achievement of introducing the euro received praise from the IMF and tinges of regret have been observed in countries choosing not to be part of it. In the eurozone itself measures were being taken to combat over-eagerness for the new currency.
Polish PM challenges central bank
POLAND - Polish prime minister Leszek Miller said today that legislative measures to force change at the central bank were still a possibility if the central bank did not listen to the views of parliament.
New Bank of England banknote
NEWS RELEASE - New £5 Banknote Design, 18 December 2001.
IMF 'blamed' for Argentine crisis
ARGENTINA - The IMF was "instrumental" in engineering Argentina's financial collapse because of irresponsible lending which "exacerbated" its foreign debt problem, foreign creditors have claimed.