Sveriges Riksbank
Riksbank extends QE, despite dissent
Additional Skr30 billion of purchases takes Swedish QE programme to mid-2017; central bank cites continued risks to the outlook, but three members challenge decision
Paper uses Swedish refugee data to assess financial literacy
Authors say the randomly determined placement of refugees in Sweden provides a handy natural experiment on how financial literacy can spread
Riksbank’s Jansson rejects calls to scrap inflation target
Critics likely underestimate the benefits of the current monetary policy framework when calling for it to change, deputy governor says
Changing policy impact may knock forecasts askew – Riksbank economists
Economists suggest systematic errors of forecasts in recent years may reflect changes in the effectiveness of monetary policy
Bank of Korea embarks on ‘coinless society’ project
Central bank wants to eradicate use of coins by 2020; first stage of the project to use electronic travel passes to pay for goods and services
Riksbank considering e-krona issuance – Skingsley
Cash use is declining, but people still need access to central bank money, raising the need for a central bank digital currency; design challenges remain, says deputy governor
Riksbank’s Flodén warns QE dividends may not continue
Quantitative easing has generated profits so far, but the central bank is likely to incur losses in future, deputy governor warns; purchases amount to maturity transformation and therefore carry risk
Riksbank paper shows importance of modelling bank costs
Models should not assume financial intermediation is free, authors say, showing banks can reduce aggregate welfare in some cases
Payments changing fast but cash still in demand – Riksbank survey
Telephone survey finds cash use declining and mobile payments on the rise, though demand for paper money not likely to disappear any time soon
Riksbank signals low rates will stay longer
Swedish central bank says rates likely to remain on hold for longer than planned, with chance of an inter-meeting asset-purchase extension
Review proposes reforms to Riksbank research
External team recommends restructuring department, increasing its involvement with policy and boosting output – though it says Riksbank research is already “successful”
Riksbank paper offers method for tackling distorted forecast evaluation
Authors adjust for different amounts of information available, allowing them to overcome distortions in forecast evaluation
Riksbank highlights complexity in choice of target
Report studies case for changing target to CPIF or HICP inflation, and reinstating target band, ahead of discussions over monetary framework reforms
Skingsley calls for balance, as government prepares to rethink Riksbank Act
Central bank mandates need to be a balance of specificity and flexibility, while too broad a mandate could threaten independence, deputy says; government to consider six areas of Riksbank’s work
Swedish inflation starting to look stronger, as Riksbank holds
Outlook is “fraught with uncertainty”, central bank says, though the domestic economy seems to be returning to more normal levels
Definitions matter when using DTI ratios – Riksbank paper
How regulators define debt and income can affect the outcome of financial stability analysis and the use of macro-prudential tools, authors say
Riksbank paper looks to medieval Europe for ZLB solution
Idea of a “Gesell tax” on holdings of cash could help central bankers overcome the zero lower bound – an idea already tested by kings in medieval Europe
Monetary policy in Sweden needs to remain expansionary, Riksbank board says
Bank’s inflation forecasts are "sensitive" to international factors; executive board notes strengthening of economic activity
Riksbank tweaks forward guidance, citing Brexit uncertainty
Swedish central bank says it will likely only raise the policy rate from the second half of 2017 onwards; highlights “considerable uncertainty” abroad
People: Turkey picks new deputy; Riksbank’s Jansson reappointed
Career banker takes over from Turalay Kenç at Turkish Central Bank; Riksbank deputy handed fresh five-year term; and more
Prospective eurozone members fail to meet convergence criteria, ECB says
Seven prospective member countries show greater convergence in their economic indicators but fail to meet requirements for their legal frameworks, ECB report says
‘Urgent’ measures needed to counteract household debt – Riksbank report
Finansinspektionen needs powers to implement effective macro-prudential policies in order to combat household indebtedness, latest financial stability report says
Riksbank survey flags concerns on market functioning
Market participants fear effect of low interest rates and high debt could create largest impact, although they view geopolitical and emerging market issues as the most likely to be realised
Riksbank’s Skingsley sees potential in helicopter money
Small, open economies will have limited room for manoeuvre if global real rates stay low, so central bankers should be willing to consider more radical options, deputy says