Official Record
BoJ focused on ‘underlying trend of prices’
The Bank of Japan kept policy steady in August; minutes from policy board meeting reveal members’ discussion about importance of using a range of price indicators
Kenyan governor points to financial inclusion success
Njuguna Ndung’u sees ‘bright’ future for Kenya’s financial system; points to growing financial inclusion and successful issuance of eurobond in international market
Bank of Portugal initiates administrative proceedings against 14 banks in first half of 2014
Throughout the period the Portuguese central bank also issued 357 recommendations 'to require the correction of irregularities and infringements detected'
Maltese banks see increase in non-performing loans
The domestic banks in Malta had to increase their provisioning levels further to respond to the credit risk, notes central bank
Brazil registers primary deficit for third consecutive month
Public sector primary deficit reaches 4.7 billion real ($2.10 billion) in July, making it more difficult to achieve annual fiscal target, notes central bank
Botswana's banking sector grew in 2013
Entry of two Indian banks took the number operating there to 13; greater use of technology plus more branches and ATMs improved access to finance
Polish policy-makers sceptical over major central banks' monetary policy
Minutes from the latest meeting of the Polish monetary policy council reveal doubts that QE and ultra-low rates have had the desired effect
Rwandan central bank sees inflation and interest rates drop in H1
Semi-annual financial stability statement finds reasons to be cheerful as inflation comes in below target and market rates fall, in line with monetary policy
RBA does not see inflation pick-up as threat to target
Minutes from latest board meeting show RBA staff expect inflation to remain ‘consistent’ with target despite annual CPI inflation hitting 3% in June
Lesotho holds policy as inflation grows in line with neighbour South Africa
Minimum target for international reserves kept at $610 million, which Lesotho's MPC says is consistent with price stability and currency parity with the rand
Timor-Leste SWF hits 40% equities allocation
Timor-Leste petroleum fund quarterly report shows returns still exactly in line with benchmark; equity allocation hits 40%
ECB publishes ‘manual' explaining eurozone banks' comprehensive assessment
Publication of the manual ‘demonstrates ECB's commitment to transparency' on how it is conducting the ‘rigorous' assessment of the eurozone's biggest banks
Bank of Japan expects inflation to remain short of target for ‘some time'
BoJ policy board votes to continue expanding monetary base by ¥60-70 trillion annually; effects of recent decline in demand ‘expected to wane gradually'
Bank of Israel expects 0.4% inflation for 2014
Low rates prompted by flagging domestic demand, appreciation of the shekel and low inflation environment worldwide, bank says in monetary policy report
Bank of Zambia holds interest rate as inflation stabilises
First MPC meeting of new quarterly schedule sees no change in policy; bumper maize harvest and a stabilising exchange rate credited with lowering inflation
Central Bank of Colombia raises rates for fourth consecutive month
Bank raises benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.25% as annual growth is expected to reach 5% this year on the back of jump in household spending
SNB reports profit of almost $18bn for first half of the year
Swiss National Bank recovers from $10bn loss in 2013; profit on foreign currency positions amounts to Sfr 12.6bn, while gold holdings see Sfr 3.5bn valuation gain
Central Bank of Brazil yet to see effects of tightening cycle
Inflation 'still shows resistance', July minutes note; bank lowered reserve requirements for lenders last week in bid to inject additional liquidity into Brazilian economy
Eurozone banks ease credit standards for first time since crisis hit in 2007
ECB bank lending survey shows that more banks eased credit standards than tightened them in second quarter of 2014
Credit cards account for more than half of all payment cards in the US, report shows
Credit cards accounted for 334 million of the 776 million ‘general purpose cards' used in 2012; Over 250 million mobile payments made using mobile wallet application, Fed study finds
Bangladesh Bank lays out monetary policy stance for the rest of 2014
Central bank aims at lower inflation and external stability through containing money growth and building up foreign reserves
Serbia central bank takes aim at food price volatility to bring inflation in line
Agricultural commodity price volatility accounted for more than two-thirds of headline inflation volatility in 2013, the central bank says, leading it to seek measures to combat it
Nigerian central bank welcomes drop in depletion of foreign reserves
Communique says reserves accumulation must improve to provide buffer for fiscal operations, in part by greater domestic production of foodstuffs
BoJ board members fear structural problems behind sluggish exports
A ‘few’ members of the policy board are concerned that competitiveness issues are to blame for slow growth in Japanese exports