News
German growth slows to zero
GERMANY - Official figures confirmed the fact that the German economy slowed to a halt in the second quarter of the year.
IMF says cash to reserves, Argentina decides use
ARGENTINA - The International Monetary Fund reiterated on 22 August that the money Argentina will receive under its new $8 billion program will go to central bank reserves, but it is then up to the country to decide how to use it.
Hayami - BOJ won't adopt managed inflation policy
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan can't adopt high inflation targets that would involve measures to artificially reflate the economy, the central bank governor said 23 August.
Seoul pays off its IMF debts
SOUTH KOREA - South Korea has fully repaid the last instalment of a multi-billion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Juncker takes hard line on ECB reform
GERMANY - Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was quoted on 22 August as saying a future reform of the European Central Bank's Governing Council should retain the principle of the equality of euro zone countries.
Kurdistan opens new central bank
KURDISTAN - Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional government (Arbil) Nechirvan Barzany has officially opened the new building of Kurdistan Central Bank in Arbil.
Brazil rates will only fall after energy crisis
BRAZIL - The government will only be able to cut interest rates when energy supplies return to normal, which will probably only be in the second quarter of 2002, said former Central Bank chairman Carlos Geraldo Langoni on 21 August.
India to showcase dazzling Nizam jewels at last
INDIA - India's most dazzling array of jewellery goes on display for the first time next week amid hefty security for a collection which could be worth more than US $2 billion. The collection has been housed in the vault of India's central bank for years.
US rates cut for seventh time
UNITED STATES - The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates for the seventh time this year in a continued attempt to revive the US economy.
IMF agrees extra cash for Argentina
ARGENTINA - After 12 tense days of talks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to increase its funding to crisis-hit Argentina by $8bn.
IMF News Brief
REPORT - A news release from the International Monetary Fund, 21 August, detailing the recommend addition of US$8 billion to Argentina's stand-by credit.
HKMA says bankruptcy law changes 'difficult'
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's bankruptcy laws will unlikely be amended despite a sharp rise in the number of people going broke and companies going under, the city's quasi-central bank said 21 August.
Croatian cen bank offers euros at 7.50 kuna
CROATIA - The Croatian central bank said on 21 August it would sell an unspecified amount of euros at 7.50 kuna ($0.907) - its second intervention this month to aid the kuna and a first sale of currency at a fixed exchange rate.
Swiss nat bank to change policy if needed
SWITZERLAND - Swiss National Bank (SNB) Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth told a business journal that the central bank will review policy and make changes if needed in late September.
German wise man says ECB need not follow Fed cut
GERMANY - Horst Siebert, a senior adviser to the German government, said on 21 August the European Central Bank did not need to follow the widely expected U.S. interest rate cut by trimming euro zone rates.
Indian bankers jittery over proposed laws
INDIA - Rattled by scams, bankers are now jittery that new laws could push them further towards the edge. The financial regulators are now pitching for a change in the statutes that would put the responsibility on banks, financial institutions and other…
Regulator denies responsible for bank intervention
NICARAGUA - Nicaragua's banking regulator Noel Sacasa has denied responsibility for the multimillion dollar costs of intervening and liquidating six banks during his term a report says.
Ukraine begins certification of bank liquidators
UKRAINE - In line with the National Bank of Ukraine resolution, only persons who pass a special examination will be allowed to participate in the liquidation or temporary management of banks, a report says.
RBI links supervision with risk profile of banks
INDIA - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to roll out a bank-specific risk-based supervision (RBS) system from the last quarter of the financial year 2002-2003.
Head of Latvian c bank prepared to found new party
LATVIA - Bank of Latvia President Einars Repse is ready to undertake formation of a new right-wing party.
Sri Lanka c bank relaxes For Ex curbs
SRI LANKA - Sri Lanka's Central Bank announced 20 August the relaxation of several restrictions on foreign exchange transactions through commercial banks imposed in January, the official Daily News reported on 21 August.
Argentina pays workers in bonds
ARGENTINA - As Argentina's talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) drag on - with still no word on whether the country will get a much-needed aid package - the situation at home is getting worse.
Sharp rise in Indian forex reserves by US $326 bn
INDIA - The country's forex reserves have registered a sharp rise of $326 million to touch $44.135 billion for the week ended August 10, as against $43.809 billion in the previous week.
KDB to operate central bank's loan to SMEs
SOUTH KOREA - The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) will soon be subject to the central bank's ceiling on loans to small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs).