News
NZ's Brash - Encouraging signs from US
NEW ZEALAND - Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Donald Brash said Friday that there are "encouraging" signs of improvement from the U.S. but Japan remains the biggest risk to the local economy.
Faites vos jeux The ECB needs a new vice-president
FEATURE - A routine letter, says the European Central Bank. Maybe, say those who watch the ECB. But a reminder, still, about the fun in the next few months, with luck at the expense of some very important Frenchmen.
China's c bank plans payment system development
CHINA - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank of China, has selected a database and application development tool for its China National Advanced Payment System (CNAPS).
Berlusconi defends central bank powers
ITALY - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Friday threw his weight behind the Bank of Italy after a group of lawmakers proposed to strip the central bank of banking surveillance powers as part of a wider reform involving a number of regulatory bodies.
BOJ's Hayami - FX moves need further monitoring
JAPAN - Bank of Japan Governor Masaru Hayami said Friday the 0.8% decline in Japanese consumer prices last year was "normal," apparently attempting to downplay concerns about deflation weighing on the economy.
Russian gov't submits changes to central bank law
RUSSIA - The Russian government has submitted to the State Duma revisions for the second reading of amendments to the law on the Central Bank, State Duma banking committee head Alexander Shokhin said on Thursday.
Kazakh MPs call for c bank no-confidence vote
KAZAKHSTAN - Source Khabar Television. [Presenter] At a plenary sitting of the Majlis [lower house of Kazakh parliament] today, deputies proposed a no-confidence motion against the chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, Grigoriy Marchenko.
ECB head predicts harmonisation call
EUROPE - Wim Duisenberg, European Central Bank president, yesterday forecast the introduction of euro notes and coins would lead to public demand for more harmonisation in the European Union, with particular focus on taxes.
Fed's Poole - C banks mustn't risk price stability
US - St. Louis Federal Reserve President William Poole warned on Monday that central banks should not chase economic stability at the expense of stable prices.
ECB sees gradual recovery in 2002, lower inflation
GERMANY - The European Central Bank said on Thursday the euro zone economy showed signs of a recovery later this year and reiterated inflation should drop safely below its two-percent ceiling.
Bank of Canada Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Bank of Canada lowers key policy interest rate by 1/4 percentage point to 2 per cent, 15 January.
Voters 'will back euro' if economic tests passed
UK - Tony Blair would win a euro referendum just by saying that Britain had passed the five economic tests for joining, according to a poll published on Wednesday.
FSA acts to tighten assurers' solvency reports
UK - The Financial Services Authority plans to tighten rules that were used by Equitable Life, the troubled mutual life assurer, to bolster its reported financial strength.
US economists to free up Argentine bank system
ARGENTINA - Adam Lerrick and Allan Meltzer, two prominent US economists, have proposed a new scheme to allow Argentines to use the money locked up in the banking system without triggering a collapse of the banks - arguably the single largest problem…
How to find a president for the ECB
FRANCE - A short question and answer session about the European Central Bank presidency published in the London edition of the Financial Times, 24 January.
French firm sues over euro notes
FRANCE - Have euro notes design breached copyright? A French company claims a map of Europe printed on every euro bank note breaches a copyright it owns on the design. The ECB does not agree.
Greenspan: US economy is picking up
US - The US economy seems finally to be climbing out of recession, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said.
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Minutes
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Meeting held on 9 and 10 January 2002. Release date 23 January 2002.
Bank chiefs unanimous on rate freeze
UK - Bank of England gurus in charge of setting interest rates voted unanimously in favour of a rate freeze this month.
Singapore's MAS to issue currency notes, coins
SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will expand its responsibilities to include the issuance of currency notes and coins from March next year, officials said Wednesday.
RBA appoints new assistant governor economic
AUSTRALIA - The Reserve Bank today announced the appointment of Dr Malcolm Edey as assistant governor (economic).
Duisenberg - No need to change ECB team yet
ITALY - European Central Bank Governor Wim Duisenberg said in remarks published on Wednesday it was unlikely he would complete his full term as the head of the bank but said the management team should not be changed yet.
Allsopp - ECB should have stable growth aim
UK - Maintaining a stable rate of economic growth should be given a clearer role in the policy framework of the European Central Bank, a senior Bank of England official said on Wednesday.
IMF Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - IMF, World Bank Conclude Joint Poverty Reduction Strategy Conference, 18 January.