News
G7 didn't discuss exchange rates says Duisenberg
US - Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven leading industrial nations didn't discuss foreign exchange during their meeting Saturday, "apart from the usual statements," European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg said.
Volcker seen as likely to step aside at Andersen
USA - Paul A. Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman sought to help embattled Arthur Andersen LLP map out a future, now looks likely to step aside, deepening the crisis within the accounting firm, Monday's Wall Street Journal reported.
BOK encourages payments made via internet
SOUTH KOREA - The central bank is encouraging people to make payments of bills for taxes and public utility services through the Internet due to its convenience and efficiency, in the midst of banks' reluctance to handle such dealings at their windows.
Brazil's central bank aids debut of new SPB today
BRAZIL - The Central Bank reduced the interest rate charged banks in one-day rediscount operations from 6% to 1% a year, plus the variation of the Selic basic interest rate.
Vietnam's Interbank E-Payment System to begin May
VIETNAM - The central bank in Vietnam is intending to launch an interbank e-payment system early next month in an effort to speed up payments.
Argentina's president vows to continue reforms
ARGENTINA - Eduardo Duhalde, president of crisis-hit Argentina, has vowed to push ahead with economic reforms - but on his own terms.
Press Conference on the World Economic Outlook
PRESS CONFERENCE - Press Conference on the World Economic Outlook by Kenneth Rogoff, Economic Counsellor and Director of Research, International Monetary Fund, 18 April.
Argentina "very close" to IMF accord - Report
ARGENTINA - Argentina's economy will shrink even further this year, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
Fed's Minehan sees e-payments change as inevitable
US - The shift in the financial payments and settlements system to electronic transactions is proceeding apace, and the U.S. central bank is embracing that change, Cathy Minehan, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, said on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe to target money supply growth
ZIMBABWE - Concerted action aimed at curtailing monetary growth and increasing the output of goods and services in the economy is vital if a sustainable reduction in inflation to levels that promote investment and growth is to be achieved, warns the…
Euro position remains cautious - UK chancellor
UK - The five economic tests which will be used to measure whether it is in Britain's interests to join the euro mustn't be fudged, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said Friday.
Russia issues world cup commemorative coins
RUSSIA - The Central Bank 5 May will introduce commemorative gold and silver coins in denominations of 3 and 50 rubles to commemorate this summer's World Cup football (soccer) finals in Japan and South Korea.
OECD ponders action against tax havens
SWITZERLAND - Switzerland and Luxembourg could face financial sanctions if they continue to refuse to commit themselves to an international initiative against harmful tax practices.
G7 to focus on World Bank grants, terror finance
US - The Group of Seven leading industrial nations finance ministers' meeting Friday will focus on proposals to increase World Bank grants and ongoing efforts to cut off sources of terrorism finance, a senior U.S. Treasury official said Friday.
ECB Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - ECB opinion on the appointment of the Vice-President of the ECB, 18 April 2002.
IMF Press Conference with Horst Kohler
PRESS CONFERENCE - Transcript of a Press Conference with Horst Kohler, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, National Press Club, Washington, D.C. 17 April.
IMF statement on Argentina
STATEMENT - Statement by the IMF Mission to Argentina, 17 April.
Bush considers Kohn for Fed board US official says
US - U.S. President George W. Bush is seriously considering Donald Kohn, a top staffer at the U.S. Federal Reserve, for a seat on the U.S. central bank's board, a senior Bush administration official said on Thursday.
McDonough says Fed has time before rate hike
US - Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William McDonough said on Thursday the Fed is unsure about how strong the U.S. economy may be in the latter half of this year and can be patient before raising interest rates.
Korea to name c bank board member in next 2 weeks
SOUTH KOREA - South Korean President Kim Dae-jung will likely name a new member to the Bank of Korea's monetary policy board either next week or in the following week, a central bank official said Thursday.
Abachas reported to return $1bn to Nigeria
UK - The family of Sani Abacha, Nigeria's former dictator, has agreed to return $1bn ( £600m) in funds looted from the country's central bank in return for the dropping of theft and money laundering charges against Abacha's son and one of Abacha's…
ECB reform to cap votes not council size - Report
GERMANY - The European Central Bank wants to limit, through rotation, the number of governing council members that can vote on monetary policy after euro zone enlargement, a German newspaper reported on Thursday.
Convicted BI chief to miss IMF meeting
INDONESIA - Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril Sabirin will skip the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington this weekend, following the conviction in the Bank Bali scandal last month that bans him from leaving the country.
No note solution to fake coins in Hong Kong
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority appears reluctant to re-introduce the printing of HK$10 notes, despite a surge in counterfeit HK$10 coins last year.