News
Hungary maintains base rate
The National Bank of Hungary held the base rate at 7.75% on Monday 27 August.
Israel raises rates to 4%
The Bank of Israel increased its interest rate by 25 basis points to 4%, after inflation rose more than expected in July.
Colombia holds rates
Colombia's central bank decided to maintain its 9.25% interest rate on Friday after inflation fell in July.
Borrowing from Fed at highest level since 9/11
Banks have borrowed an average of $1.2 billion a day from the Federal Reserve's discount window for the week ending 22 August. This is the third highest weekly amount of borrowing ever.
Malaysia holds rates at 3.5%
Bank Negara Malaysia decided to keep its overnight call rate at 3.5% on Friday.
Canada appoints special adviser
Paul Masson will join the Bank of Canada as a special adviser for the year 2007-08 in September, the central bank announced on Wednesday 22 August.
RBNZ appoints new department head
Lindsay Jenkin will join the Reserve Bank of New Zealand as head of human resources.
Zimbabwe's Gono banned from United Kingdom
A leading Zimbabwean newspaper has reported that the United Kingdom has barred Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, from entering the country because of his role as president Robert Mugabe's "private banker".
Ford chief joins Wall Street's calls for Fed cut
Alan Mulally, the chief executive of motor company Ford, voiced his support for a cut to the federal funds rate on Friday.
IMF head plays down market volatility
Rodrigo de Rato, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), expects both US and global economic growth to continue in spite of financial turmoil.
Japan holds rates for now
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy board voted 8-1 in favour of keeping the overnight call rate at about 0.5%.
RBNZ boosts liquidity with bill buyback
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said that it will accept New Zealand bank bills in its overnight reverse repurchase facility from 24 August.
Pressure moves to money market funds
In a classic example of how financial strains can have repercussions in areas of finance far away from the original epicentre of the crisis, asset management companies such as Vanguard Group and Fidelity Investments have been flooded with calls from…
We can overcome international snub - Iran deputy
Mohammad-Jaafar Mojarrad, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said it is handling the impact of the US's plea to Europe's banks to stop trading dollars with the country.
US Senator hints at cut after high level meeting
Christopher Dodd, a US senator, said Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, would use "all the available tools" to ensure markets remained liquid.
Russia wants Czech governor Tosovsky to head IMF
Russia has nominated Josef Tosovsky, the former head of the Czech National Bank and the current chair of the Bank for International Settlements' Financial Stability Institute, to take over from Rodrigo Rato at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Central bank gold sales to approach limit
Members of the central bank gold agreement (essentially the eurozone plus Sweden and Switzerland) have sold 396 tonnes in the first 10 months of the "gold year", as much as the total for the whole of last year.
Polish MPC member says rate hike can wait
Stanislaw Owsiak, a member of the National Bank of Poland's monetary policy council (MPC), said July data indicated an August interest rate rise may not be necessary.
China makes two rate hikes to cool inflation
The People's Bank of China increased its benchmark rate by 18 basis points to 7.02% and its deposit rate by 27 basis points to 3.6% in an effort to stabilise inflationary pressures.
Bank of England joins the fray with emergency loan
In what represents its first unusual market intervention during the current spell of market volatility, the Bank of England lent £314 million ($622 million) today to an unnamed financial institution through its standing facility.
Swiss chairman criticises US subprime
Jean-Pierre Roth, the chairman of the Swiss National Bank described the US subprime crisis as "unbelievable" and said that reality was "striking back"
Bahamas steps up supervision
The Central Bank of The Bahamas has asked resident commercial banks to submit group organisational charts in order to comply with the Basel core principles for effective banking supervision.
China to pursue private equity, despite losses
Jesse Wang, vice chairman of the People's Bank of China's investment arm Central Huijin, defended the central bank's investment in Blackstone and said he would continue to recommend investment in private equity funds.
Basel II needs risk culture to work - Kenyan chief
Njuguna Ndung'u, the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, said that east African commercial banks need to adopt sound risk management practices before the region's central banks can implement the Basel II accord.