Opinion
A case for removing the ringgit peg in Malaysia
This article looks at Malaysia's ringgit peg, saying that the US dollar's fall has posed questions over its viability. It argues for an immediate restoration of the free float regime, which applied before the local currency was fixed to the US dollar in…
Central banks share anti-counterfeiting technology
This article looks at the use of anti-counterfeiting technology in software, saying that a group of central banks, including the Bank of Canada, are quietly giving secret anti-counterfeiting technology to computer and software manufacturers in an attempt…
What monetary regime for Iraq?
This article, co-authored by Professor Steve Hanke and Matt Sekerke, says that the choice of monetary regime for Iraq remains wide open despite measures to establish an independent central bank, framework for bank regulation, and Saddam-free bank notes.
Asian currencies may be linked to China's yuan
In an interview, Avinash Persaud said that people have tended to view Asia as being on a dollar peg when in reality it is, in his view, on a renminbi peg. He also said it was unlikely the Chinese would respond to criticism of their currency regime but…
Wounded Bosnia heals with NZ money policy
Want evidence that New Zealand's general approach to monetary policy works whatever the environment? In this article Peter Nicholl, governor of the central bank of Bosnia, says a main ingredient of good central bank law is operational independence and…
Call for new central bank rules in Syria
This article looks at what it calls the 'erratic' actions of the central bank of Syria in its interest rate setting policy. It calls for the introduction of new rules and practices into the system to regain confidence.
Diplomatic fudge will not get best people for ECB
This article considers who will replace Eugenio Domingo Solans on the ECB's Executive Board. His successor must be chosen on the basis of competence only, it says, but warns that "horse trading" could be a more important factor in the choice.
Interview with Czech National Bank's Zdenek Tuma
In excerpts from an interview from the February issue of Central Banking journal, published Monday February 9, the governor of the Czech National Bank discusses his concerns for the process and timing of joining the euro and outlines how he sees European…
Focus on central banks
This article looks at some key events this week in the world of central banking. Ben Bernanke's comments on inflation ruffled some feathers, the author says, with the suggestion that deflation fears had receded substantially. The ECB's latest press…
BOJ on shaky ground in anti-deflation fight
This article considers whether the Bank of Japan's credibility is at risk. It asks whether the BOJ's quantitative easing policy is based on solid logic or represents a very risky move by governor Fukui. If the economy starts growing strongly it could see…
Interview with San Francisco Fed's Robert Parry
In an interview published on Monday 19 January, soon to retire President Robert Parry of the San Francisco Fed said the US economy "is growing at a pretty rapid pace" while inflation remains at historic lows. The toughest time for him at the Fed was 2001…
Venezuela's central bank under pressure
This article looks at the position of the central bank of Venezuela (BCV) following calls from President Hugo Chavez to hand over $1 billion from its reserves. Chavez has called it 'absurd' and 'crazy' for the reserves just to sit in the bank, and…
RBI faces tough issues to resolve the 'trilemma'
This article looks at a school of thought which believes that the Reserve Bank of India has failed to find out an inflexion point for short-term rates. The result, it says, is an unabated inflow of capital and excess of rupee-liquidity in the inter-bank…
ECB recieves a letter bomb
A letter bomb sent to Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank has been discovered in the ECB mail room. An Italian anarchist group is suspected of sending it.
History will remember Chairman Greenspan
By reacting forcefully from 2001 onwards, Alan Greenspan prevented the Federal Reserve from making a third big blunder and set the stage for the current turnaround, this article in The Business Times says. "The Fed can never deliver the economy into…
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
To be published on Tuesday 16 December, the new edition of The Financial Regulator includes an interview with Jaime Caruana, governor of the Bank of Spain and chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. CentralBankNet presents an exclusive…
Identity of Kenyan money is puzzling
Lack of standard currency design and frequent changes make it easy to fake Kenya's notes and coins, says this article in the Daily Nation, and the recent launch of new currency denominations by President Kibaki further complicates the real identity of…
IMF takes aim at small offshore centres
After three years examining offshore centres, the International Monetary Fund has decided to focus on smaller offshore centres which don't meet international standards. CentralBankNet here gives a sneak preview of the report in the latest edition of The…
Bank of England maintains interest rates at 3.75%
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the Bank's repo rate at 3.75% on 4 December. The minutes of the meeting will be published at 9.30am on Wednesday 17 December.
Should BOT be a watchdog?
This article published in The Nation, Thailand, asks whether a country's central bank should be involved with banking supervision. It looks at the moves to separate the supervision function from the central bank in countries such as Canada and…
Hans Eichel Interview - 'Spirit' of Pact observed
In an interview published by Welt am Sonntag, German Finance Minister Hans Eichel said Germany has "observed the letter and spirit of the Stability Pact". He commented that further measures to reign in the budget deficit would have been wrong and…
Slimming down the Bank of Spain
SPECIAL FEATURE - Like all the central banks of the Eurosystem, the Bank of Spain is grappling with the implications of its status as one central bank within the larger federal. CentralBankNet reports from Madrid on how the restructuring is being carried…
BSP printing plant: More than just about money
This article in the Philippine Daily Inquirerlooks at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) bank note printing operations. The BSP owns the printing, minting and refining facility it calls the Security Plant Complex (SPC), an imposing structure…