News
Russian central bank “lacks capacity” to handle assets
Russian sovereign fund management chief says new agency will take debt and asset responsibilities over from central bank, Russian reserve stash severely depleted by financial crisis
Norges Bank director pushes for better pricing of risk
Norges Bank director Arlid Lund discusses how to prevent the next crisis and where the risks lie
Central banks, not debt will kill growth: economist
Independent economist Roger Nightingale charges that debt on its own is not incompatible with growth, but raising rates will kill growth
ECB in about-turn on collateral rules
Move reflects concern over Greece; Trichet says graded haircut system set to be introduced
UK debt management official parries demand fears
Co-head of policy and markets says she is confident that market for gilts deep and liquid enough to withstand end of QE
Fed’s Kohn attacks higher inflation targets
Federal Reserve vice chairman also dismissive of price-level targeting; admits central bankers were “a little complacent” pre-crisis
Emerging markets will overhaul reserve methods: Thai deputy
Bank of Thailand vice governor Atchana Waiquamdee says crisis has rendered traditional measures of reserve adequacy “meaningless” for cautious emerging markets
Sovereign risk worries overstated: panel
Debt experts from Bank of Italy, National Bank of Denmark and French debt agency point to reassuring signs of continuing life in the sovereign debt markets
The end is nigh for the eurozone over Greece
Economists Geoffrey Wood and Charles Dumas say the Greek debt crisis is set to tear asunder Europe’s poorly built Economic and Monetary Union, split over IMF bailout
Italy’s Draghi favours “enforcement” over European Fund
Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi says a new pact should be drawn up to enforce fiscal discipline, rather than building a continental version of the IMF
Portugal suffers downgrade
Sovereign debt marked down a notch by Fitch; move eaxcerbates eurozone tensions
IMF calls for Zimbabwe to scrap governing board
Fund acknowledges success of multi-currency regime at close of Article IV consultation
Chiang Mai currency swap deal comes to life
Regional $120 billion currency swap arrangement between ASEAN members and east Asian powerhouses comes into force
Euro should not covet reserve role
Panellists in CentralBanking.com web seminar say becoming a reserve currency would hamper recovery
Serbia’s Jelašić in shock exit
Governor says departure down to personal reasons
Philly Fed’s Plosser tears output-gap reliance apart
Philadelphia Fed’s Plosser cautions against rocking the policymaking boat
Central banks should oversee systemic risk
CentralBanking.com poll shows majority of respondents think central banks together with government bodies should be responsible for monitoring systemic risk
BoJ makes small concessions to government
Minutes from Bank of Japan’s February policy meeting show divide between policymakers on strength of economy, analysts say central stance unchanged
The bitter divide on inflation targeting
Economists are split over a recent suggestion that central banks should raise their inflation targets to allow more room for cuts in crises
Central bankers see reserve future for renminbi
Central Banking Publications poll points to renminbi becoming reserve currency in the long term
Merkel and central bankers clash over Greek fix
Bundesbank shows reluctance to back Merkel; ECB president Trichet pushes for European rescue fund to aid beleaguered eurozone members
King sees “room for improvement” in Bank’s communication
Bank of England governor Mervyn King defends the central bank’s fan charts, which have drawn criticism, but says it can still refine the communication of its forecasts
Bank of Israel back in the black by $374m
Israeli central bank declares a modest profit for last year, following $160m loss in 2008 and $1.4 billion loss the year previous
SNB’s Danthine denies franc float claims
Swiss National Bank governing board member Jean-Pierre Danthine denies his remarks hint at plans to float the Swiss franc