News
Chavez takes control of Venezuelan Central Bank
The Venezuelan government has regained control of the central bank following a parliamentary vote on Wednesday.
Fed's regulatory response to subprime revealed
Better consumer information, rules to address unfair lending practices and a more coordinated enforcement of consumer-protection laws are needed to prevent another subprime crisis, according to the Federal Reserve.
Australian inflation stats make rate hike likely
A November rate hike looks a near certainty after Reserve Bank of Australia data showed a higher-than-expected percentage-point jump in inflation.
Scale of subprime unknowable until 2008: Weber
Axel Weber, the president of the Bundesbank, said on Tuesday that the extent of the subprime crisis will remain unknown until at least the end of 2007.
Gono set to put shopping "anarchy" right
Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said that the central bank would soon correct the "anarchy" that erupted after the government ordered retailers to cut prices in June.
Polish governor was sole dissenter on rate vote
Slawomir Skrzypek, the governor of the National Bank of Poland, was the only member of the monetary policy council to vote against the decision to raise the benchmark interest rate to 4.75% in August.
Bank of England reports on the crisis
The Bank of England has acknowledged that the recent banking crisis has revealed that the UK's financial authorities need to strengthen their crisis management arrangements.
Georgian central bank dismisses abolition claims
The National Bank of Georgia said on Monday that rumours in the local media that the central bank was to close because it was on the verge of bankruptcy are groundless.
Fed signals support for superfund
A Federal Reserve official has said that the proposed $75 billion mortgage-securities superfund will help investors and credit markets.
Dodge's comments lead to temporary loonie fall
The Canadian dollar fell against its US counterpart on Monday, after David Dodge, the governor of the Bank of Canada, said that domestic conditions were unrelated to the loonie's recent "abnormally quick" rise against the greenback.
Kenyan central bank set to monitor telecoms IPO
The Kenyan government has handed the Central Bank of Kenya the task of ensuring that the initial public offering (IPO) of Safaricom, the country's leading mobile phone firm, does not adversely impact the financial system.
Vietnam government calls on CB to stabilise dong
Nguyen Sinh Hung, Vietnam's deputy prime minister, has asked the State Bank of Vietnam to stabilise the value of the dong currency against the dollar.
Define your mission, Paulson advises IMF and Bank
Hank Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, said that international financial institutions need to better define their core missions, and align staff and other resources accordingly, if they are to remain relevant.
De Rato's final speech presents gloomy outlook
Rodrigo de Rato, the outgoing managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said on Monday that the recent banking crisis has exposed weaknesses and will hamper growth in the coming years.
China fights back over G7 currency criticisms
Wu Xiaoling, the deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, said the country's current policy on the appreciation of the renminbi was a responsible one despite claims to the contrary by the world's leading finance ministers.
Superfund will hamper pricing, Greenspan warns
Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has said that the $75 billion mortgage securities superfund, backed by Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America, could do more harm than good.
IMF and World Bank issue joint action plan
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank said on Friday that they are to launch a joint action management plan.
Strong dollar message "very important": Trichet
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, said it was "very important" that the US underlined its message that a strong dollar was in the US national interest.
Politics force Sierra Leonean governor out
Samura Kamara, an International Monetary Fund executive and a former finance ministry official, has replaced James Rogers as the governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, a public relations officer told Central Bank News on Friday.
Greenback now worth a million Zimbabwean dollars
A single US dollar is now said to be worth 1 million of its Zimbabwean counterparts on the black market.
Chinese inflation eases from 11-year high
Chinese inflation fell slightly in September to 6.2%, after hitting an 11-year high of 6.5% in August.
Northern Rock's BoE debt rises to £16 billion
Northern Rock has borrowed a further £3 billion ($6.1 billion) from the Bank of England this week, the Bank's balance sheet reveals.
Japan's Muto reiterates commitment to tightening
The Bank of Japan will raise rates as the economy improves and inflation picks up Toshiro Muto, a deputy governor at the Bank of Japan said on Friday.
Brazil holds rates at record low
The Central Bank of Brazil decided to keep its benchmark Selic rate at 11.25% today as growth and inflation accelerated. It is the first time in 18 meetings that the central bank has voted against a rate cut.