Australia
RBA's Macfarlane on the Australian economy
In his opening statement to the House of Representatives given on 17 February I.J. Macfarlane of the Reserve Bank of Australia said it is more likely that the next movement in Australian interest rates will be up rather than down. He also said the way…
Let's cut the bullion about holding gold
This article published on Saturday 11 February asks whether the Reserve Bank of Australia has made a costly blunder in its management of Australia's international reserves. This task is surely a litmus test of a central bank's financial acumen, it says.
RBA Statement on Monetary Policy, February 2006
The Reserve Bank of Australia published its February 2006 Statement on Monetary Policy on 13 February. Global economic conditions are continuing to provide a favourable environment for the Australian economy, according to the report.
Australian rates unchanged
The Reserve Bank of Australia yesterday left the overnight cash rate at 5.5%, following its first interest rate meeting of the year. Australia is in the midst of its most stable economic period in three decades, with only one change in monetary policy in…
Keeping meeting secret cost RBA $300,000
The Reserve Bank of Australia spent $304,530 on lawyers to block a Freedom of Information request to release details of the central bank board's deliberations over interest rates.
Macfarlane defends RBA appointments
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane has defended the process used to appoint the central bank's board members following the resignation of Robert Gerard.
RBA's Stevens on Asia's financial system
In a speech to the 18th Australasian Finance and Banking Conference 2005 given on 14 December Glenn Stevens of the RBA said the development of Asia's financial system had not kept pace with its rapidly accelerating economies.
RBA's Macfarlane on recent economic developments
In the speech 'Some observations on recent economic developments' given on 13 December, Ian Macfarlane of the Reserve Bank of Australia said the Australian economy is more resilient and able to adjust to economic shocks as global interest rates rise…
RBA's gain
According to this article published on Wednesday 7 December, Robert Gerard's resignation from the Reserve Bank of Australia's board leaves three important questions to be dealt with. Firstly, has the controversy damaged the RBA and its policy credibility?
ACCI sees no reason to change RBA appointments
The Reserve Bank of Australia is the most successful central bank in the world and the appointment process to its board should not be changed, Australia's business organisation ACCI said this week.
Crisis solved, but Reserve still political
According to this article published on Saturday 3 December, the Howard Government has practised classic crisis management on its problem with the Reserve Bank of Australia's board. This protects the Government and the Reserve Bank from further…
RBA's Gerard resigns from Board
Australian businessman Robert Gerard resigned from the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate setting Board on Friday 2 December, four days after reports he had to pay $150 million ($111 million) to settle a tax dispute.
Former RBA chief says Gerard should quit
Former Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Bernie Fraser said RBA board member Robert Gerard should resign after a report he had to pay A$150 million (US$111 million) to settle a tax dispute.
RBA's Stevens on finance and the ageing population
In the speech 'Finance and the ageing population' given on 16 November Glenn Stevens of the Reserve Bank of Australia said Australia's finance players will need to be innovative in creating new investment opportunities for the nation's growing ageing…
US deficits may not require big dollar drop - RBA
A new Reserve Bank of Australia discussion paper suggests that the real exchange rate adjustment required to address the US current account problems may not be as large as is often argued.
Comment: Who's to blame for global imbalances?
The issue of the global economic imbalances has become a very political one. Does the current system of largely floating exchange rates allow for a resolution based on careful economic analysis or are we destined for a prolonged series of political…
Bernanke needs tips from Ian Macfarlane
According to this article published on Wednesday 26 October, President George W. Bush has passed up the chance to put a decent central banker in charge of the Federal Reserve Board. Big Mac is well known in Washington - a central banker's central banker,…
RBA's Stevens on central bank independence
In the speech 'Governance arrangements for effective public financial policies: A central banker's perspective' given on 19 October Glenn Stevens of the RBA said that central banks need to operate without political interference in the their day-to-day…
RBA's Stevens on Asian financial co-operation
In the speech 'Asian financial co-operation' given on 14 October Glenn Stevens of the RBA said it is unlikely that an Asia-wide exchange rate policy will be adopted anytime soon and consequently the prospect for monetary union in the region was quite…
RBA's Stevens on economic conditions and prospects
In the speech 'Economic conditions and prospects October 2005' given on 11 October Glenn Stevens of the RBA said record fuel prices will stoke Australia's inflation rate in the third quarter and may lead to longer-term increases in the cost of other…
RBA's Macfarlane on global imbalances
In the speech 'What are the global imbalances?' given on 28 September Ian Macfarlane of the Reserve Bank of Australia said current account surpluses currently being recorded across Asia are likely to persist in the medium term in the absence of policy…
Comment: What triggered global imbalances
Ian Macfarlane, the governor of the Australian Reserve Bank, yesterday provided a fascinating analysis of the causes of the macroeconomic imbalances that plague the global economy at present. His analysis of the causes also bears important implications…
RBA Financial Stability Review, September 2005
The Reserve Bank of Australia published the September 2005 edition of its Financial Stability Review on Monday 26 September. The Australian financial system remains in good shape, according to the latest Review.
No rest for RBA governor in final year
According to this article published on Thursday 22 September, Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane has one last tricky year to negotiate before bowing out as arguably the country's most successful central bank chief.