News
Credit cards post huge growth in Thailand
THAILAND - The credit-card market is expected to grow by at least 40% next year, following estimated expansion of about 45% this year, Wanvimol Kanoktanaporn, a senior vice-president at the Bank of Asia, said yesterday.
Turkmen c bank issues gold and silver coins
TURKMENISTAN - The Central Bank of Turkmenistan has issued a set of memorial gold and silver coins, devoted to the parents of Turkmen President Saparmyrat Nyyazow, Turkmen TV first channel reported.
Nikkei plunges on Takenaka's remarks
JAPAN - Stocks hit their lowest level since 1983 after Japan's finance minister said no bank is too big to fail. Investors, fearing a wave of corporate bankruptcies under the government's bad-loan solution, drove Tokyo share prices to another 19-year low…
BOJ's Hayami- Utmost being done on monetary policy
JAPAN - Governor of the Bank of Japan Masaru Hayami said on Monday that the central bank is doing its utmost to ease credit conditions.
Gulf bank governors meet today in al-Riyadh
SAUDI ARABIA - The governors of monetary establishments and central bank in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states today discuss in Riyadh necessary criterion to provide a success for the monetary federation among their respective states.
SARB-South Africa's inflation outlook has improved
SOUTH AFRICA - Central bank governor Tito Mboweni sent a strong signal on Tuesday that interest rates may not rise again in November, saying the country's inflation outlook had improved "significantly".
Duisenberg urges reforms
EUROPE - Wim Duisenberg, head of the European Central Bank, on Tuesday said a lack of confidence in markets and uncertainty are the bigger problems for the European economy rather than the ECB's oft-criticized hold on interest rates.
BOK likely to raise call rate: Deutsche Bank
KOREA - Deutsche Bank yesterday forecast the Korean central bank will increase the overnight call rate by 25 basis points to 4.50 percent at its Monetary Policy Committee meeting slated for tomorrow.
US banks 'quite healthy' - Fed's Greenspan
US - Consumers and home owners helped the US banking system absorb bad business loans and remain 'quite healthy,' Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said.
Economy improving, O'Neill tells bankers
US - The U.S. economy is likely grew at least 3 percent during the third quarter and will show slightly more robust performance in the current quarter and beyond, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill predicted in Phoenix on Monday.
Chinese central bankers in visit to Taiwan
TAIWAN - A China central bank delegation heading to Taiwan may include the highest-level official yet to visit the island as Taiwan banks prepare to open their first offices across the strait, the Taipei Times said.
Afghan bank governor wants aid to be productive
INTERVIEW - Afghanistan's U.S.-educated central bank head says he wants to see the war-ravaged country standing on its own feet economically within four to five years. In an interview given to Reuters at the weekend he also revealed he has two full time…
Brazil central bank moves to prop up currency
BRAZIL - Brazil's Central Bank on Monday made it more expensive for banks to hold foreign currency and gold assets in hopes of propping up its own local currency, the real.
Central Bank of Russia offers more zodiac coins
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia will issue more coins of the Zodiac series, starting tomorrow. It will be Scorpio now-silver two-rouble pieces and gold 25 roubles. Up to 20,000 silver coins will appear in circulation, and up to 50,000 gold, said the…
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Meetings in Manchester and Liverpool, 7 October.
New appointments at the Riksbank
PRESS RELEASE - At its meeting on 3 October, the Executive Board of the Riksbank decided to appoint the Head of the Monetary Policy Department Claes Berg advisor to the future Governor Lars Heikensten with effect from 1 January 2003.
Afghanistan launches new currency
AFGHANISTAN - Afghanistan launched a new currency on Monday aiming to regain control of an economy devastated by more than 23 years of war and internal strife. Redenomination of the afghani will involve lopping three zeros from a currency so eroded in…
Former Latvia cb chief wins most seats in election
LATVIA - The newly-formed New Era party of ex-central bank chief Einars Repse has obtained the most seats in a close-run race in Latvia's parliamentary elections. Based on official provisional results from all but one polling station, Repse's party…
Takenaka asks BoJ to set inflation target
JAPAN - Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka has asked the Bank of Japan to set an inflation target in a bid to ease deflation pressure seen as a result of banks' bad loan write-offs.
IMF's Kohler calls for ECB rate cut
EUROPE - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Horst Koehler said the European Central Bank should cut interest rates soon to help boost the economy.Koehler said he believes a drop in rates would stimulate growth, adding that central bankers must…
Russian Central Bank boosts assets 19%
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia increased its assets from 1.72 trillion rubles to 2.04 trillion rubles, or 19.2%, in the first eight months of 2002, the Central Bank reported. Assets slipped 2% in August.
European Parliament Press Release, 3 Oct
PRESS RELEASE - ECB President to meet the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Tuesday 8 October.
Russia's for ex reserves up again in September
RUSSIA - Russia's international reserves grew 1.292bn dollars, or 2.9 per cent in September, to 45.619bn dollars from 44.327bn dollars.
Mrs Duisenberg may be taken to court - report
NETHERLANDS - Gretta Duisenberg, wife of European Central Bank president Wim Duisenberg, is in trouble again.