Europe
Hungary holds rates amid continuing upside risks to inflation
MNB points to geopolitical and trade uncertainty in explaining first policy decision under new governor
Larger central banks more likely to have diversity policy
Boards with appointment powers more often focus on diversity
Central Banking Awards 2025: the winners in full
Awards recognise extraordinary achievements in another challenging year for central banks
Most governing boards operate under charters
Strategy-setting and budget approval are boards’ top responsibilities
Can central banks cut remittance fees to sustainable levels?
More action is needed to reach the UN’s 3% global average cost target. But central banks face limits on what they can do
One in three central banks operate supervision committee
Government officials’ membership on boards still rare
Effects of ‘Mar-a-Lago accord’ are ‘highly speculative’ – BdF deputy
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré casts doubt on proposed collaboration to deliberately devalue dollar
AI at the ECB and the need to strengthen internal critical thinking
Carlos Bowles writes that efficiency gains should be shared with staff and efforts made to protect cognitive capacity
Governors serving limitless terms tend to earn lower salaries
But governors’ average salary remains over $200,000 a year
Iceland and Switzerland cut rates, while Sweden holds
Central banks highlight global developments and high levels of uncertainty
Hands off our gold, says National Bank of Belgium
Central bank rejects politicians’ calls to use bullion to pay for defence
Most governors lack legal immunity against prosecution
One-fifth of removable central bank governors shielded from legal actions
Denmark will reach r* this year – central bank
National Bank of Denmark continues 26-month streak of non-intervention in FX market
Governors serve unlimited terms in half of central banks
While term length averages five years, majority of governors can be dismissed early
MNB funds funnelled through ‘impenetrable’ structure – state audit
Management firm lost “significant amount” of central bank endowment in real estate investment, report finds
ECB tells lenders to regularly tap central bank liquidity
Banks should include refinancing operations in day-to-day liquidity management, say Buch and Schnabel
Smaller central banks more likely to manage government debts
Consumer protection widely overseen in larger institutions
No return to ‘whatever it takes’ for EU defence – BdF head
Villeroy de Galhau says US is “shooting itself in the foot” with tariffs
People: BNM appoints deputy and assistant governors
CNB makes appointments in internal audit and economic modelling divisions
Half of central banks must be consulted on law changes
Practice is slightly more common at banks with government officials on the board
Most people would not switch to digital euros – ECB research
Consumers would only allocate a small portion of €10,000 if given the choice, paper says
Olli Rehn appointed to second term at Bank of Finland
Governor joins European central bankers in warning of economic and geopolitical uncertainty
Forward guidance ‘partly to blame’ for inflation – panel
ECB should do more scenario planning, revise collateral rules and incorporate Taylor principles
ECB framework needs ‘few tweaks’ – panellists
Digital euro is “even more important” in the wake of Trump CBDC ban, says BdF governor