News
Eurozone inflation falls within ECB target of 2%
BELGIUM - Inflation in the euro zone slowed sharply to 2% in May, Eurostat confirmed on Tuesday. The drop put inflation within the upper limit of the European Central Bank's inflation target of 2%.
Parry said Fed can be "deliberative" over rates
USA - San Francisco Federal Reserve President Robert Parry said that doubt over how long the current "modest expansion" would last leaves the Federal Reserve room to be "deliberative" over hiking interest rates.
Weak demand damaged German economy says Welteke
GERMANY - Ernst Welteke, governor of the Bundesbank, believes that a recovery is on its way in the German economy, but that limp consumer demand is hindering its pace. He said demand for German exports and a stronger global economy would help "the German…
Argentina pledges not to use reserves to repay IMF
ARGENTINA - Economy minister Roberto Lavagna has assured the IMF technical mission currently visiting the country that central bank reserves will not be used to pay back loans from the IMF and the Inter-American Development Bank which are due to mature…
Bank Indonesia and govt to resolve loan dispute
INDONESIA - Bank Indonesia is close to putting an end to a dispute with the government which has continued for two years. A final agreement has yet to be reached to this problem which is rooted in the billions of dollars in liquidity support channeled to…
Chinese currency now convertible in Nepal
NEPAL - Nepal Rastra Bank for the first time today fixed its exchange rate at nine rupees to one Chinese yuan. Governor Dr Tilak Rawal and Chinese Ambassador Wu Congyong signed the free convertibility accord on Monday.
Venezuela widens fiscal deficit target to 3% GDP
VENEZUELA - Central bank chairman Domingo Maza Zavala has announced that the government has widened its 2002 fiscal deficit target to 3% of GDP from 2.7% due to lower than expected tax receipts.
Quaden warns of Belgian budget deficit in 2003
BELGIUM - Guy Quaden, governor of the Belgian National Bank, has warned that Belgium may return to a budget deficit next year if the government eases spending controls to help it win elections: "In 2003, I will be very vigilant not only about inflation…
Lars Heikensten new Governor at Riksbank
PRESS RELEASE - The General Council of the Riksbank were today unanimous in their appointment of Lars Heikensten as new Governor of the Riksbank to succeed Urban Backstrom. Heikensten was appointed for a period of six years with effect from 1 January…
Nigerian cb under investigation for fraud
NIGERIA - The Central Bank of Nigeria is under investigation for all the cases of fraud, corruption and mismanagement levelled against it and the banking system following an order by the House of Representatives.
Korea's reserves continue to grow
KOREA - Bank of Korea governor Park Seung said yesterday that the central bank expects the nation to become the world's fourth largest holder of foreign reserves by the end of the year. The central bank will therefore continue to increase the level of…
Japan's recession is coming to an end says Hayami
JAPAN - Bank of Japan governor Masaru Hayami said on Friday that the recession which started 20 months ago is coming to an end, adding that he was watching the impact of strong exports and output on the country's non-manufacturers and households.
Cautious optimism on recovery from Fed's Ferguson
SWEDEN - Federal Reserve Board vice-chairman Roger Ferguson delivered a buoyant appraisal of the US economy in an interview published in Swedish newspaper on Friday. "I am cautiously optimistic about the US cyclical development. A recovery is on its way…
China's cb says reform needed in commercial banks
CHINA - The governor of the People's Bank of China, Dai Xianglong, has reiterated the need for Chinese state-owned commercial banks to reform their management and risk control practices. He said the banks need to develop and implement business plans that…
Brazil lands $10bn loan from IMF
BRAZIL - After nearly a week of falling currency, stock and bond markets, Brazilian central bank president Armenio Fraga and finance minister Pedro Malan announced that the country would tap into $10 billion of IMF loans. The World Bank also joined in…
Thai cb to share massive debt burden
THAILAND - The central bank is set to share responsibilty with the government for the bonds issued to cover losses for the state's financial rescue fund. Sommai Phasee, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, made the announcement today in…
No threat to cb independence says Polish president
POLAND - Alexander Kwansniewski, the president of Poland, in suporting anammendment to bring the bank act in to line with EU standards, offeredreasurrance over the National Bank's independence: "I cannot see any threats to the independence of the central…
Philippine cb should lobby for more power says IMF
PHILIPPINES - The International Monetary Fund is pressing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank in the Philippines, to lobby for changes in the country's banking laws in a bid to strengthen the central bank's supervisory powers over banks.
ECB raises inflation forecast
GERMANY - The European Central Bank on Thursday raised its projection for inflation this year, underlining pessimism about prices that suggests the bank may raise interest rates later this year.
IMF mission arrives in Argentina
ARGENTINA - An International Monetary Fund mission landed in Argentina on Thursday to discuss the possibility of resuming billions of dollars in credit after a six-month freeze, which could open the door to other aid sources and help stop contagion to…
BoJ keeps monetary policy unchanged
JAPAN - Japan's central bank left its monetary policy unchanged Wednesday, sticking to its stance of freeing up cash to circulate through the financial system, reports Dow Jones.
Korean governor hints at rate rises
KOREA - Bank of Korea governor Park Seung signalled on Wednesday that more interest rate rises might be in the pipeline as he stressed the need to curb price pressures in a rapidly expanding economy.
Vote of confidence for Brazil governor
BRAZIL - The Brazilian government's candidate for presidential elections, Jose Serra, said on Tuesday he hopes to keep Arminio Fraga as president of the central bank if he wins the October vote.
Anti-money laundering rules in Pakistan
PAKISTAN - The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has made it mandatory for banks and financial institutions to enforce 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) rules to counter the threat of money laundering, official sources in the central bank said on Tuesday.