Japan
Shirakawa signals relaxation of collateral rules
Masaaki Shirakawa, the governor of the Bank of Japan, indicated on Monday that the central bank would soon relax its collateral rules as stress in markets for bank financing intensified.
BoJ minutes: board divided over size of cut
The majority of the Bank of Japan's board members agreed that the central bank was right to cut rates for the first time in seven years last month. But views differed on what the size of the rate cut should be.
Japan holds, warns recovery to "take some time"
The Bank of Japan left rates on hold at 0.3% on Friday and warned that the country's ailing economy was unlikely to recover soon.
Japan slides into recession, lends IMF $100bn
Japan's economy shrank by 0.4% in the third quarter, surprising analysts who had predicted the country to narrowly avoid a technical recession and grow by 0.1%.
BoJ minutes: growth sluggish
Japan's economic growth has been sluggish, reflecting earlier rises in energy and materials prices and weaker exports, say the minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Council meeting on 6 and 7 October.
BoJ head hints at bubble-bursting role for rates
Masaaki Shirakawa, the governor of the Bank of Japan, has indicated that monetary policy should act on asset-price bubbles.
Bank of Japan split on rate cut
Bank of Japan policymakers were divided in making the first cut in more than seven years on Friday. The central bank lowered its overnight lending rate from 0.5% to 0.3% due to a "severe" adjustment in the world economy.
Interbank rates improve
Beyond the gyrations of the stock markets, there were continued signs that conditions in the interbank markets were on the mend.
G7 voice concern on yen's rise, action likely
The G7 economies on Monday indicated that they could act on the yen's appreciation after the Nikkei 225 index of leading shares in Tokyo slumped to a 26-year low on fears a strong currency would cripple the country's exporters.
Yamaguchi named new Bank of Japan deputy
Hirohide Yamaguchi has been made deputy governor at the Bank of Japan, filling a position vacant since March.
Tokyo finally nominates deputy
The Japanese government has nominated Hirohide Yamaguchi for the role of deputy governor at the central bank, a position left vacant since March.
India pledges more liquidity
The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday took further steps to shore up liquidity, judging that the global turmoil warranted action.
Canada, Japan outline responses to G7 plan
Canada and Japan, the industrialised countries least affected by the current turmoil, on Tuesday announced their responses to the G7 plan.
BoJ minutes reveal thinking behind dollar funding
The minutes of the Bank of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting on 18 September reveal discussions that led to the central bank introducing dollar fund-supplying operations against pooled collateral as a temporary measure.
Central banks pledge more dollars
Central banks around the world unveiled a fresh round of dollar auctions on Tuesday, aimed at tiding the banking system over the year-end period when money-market tensions tend to heighten.
Central banks act as busts prompt panic
Central banks pledged to inject an additional $330 billion in dollar funds on Monday after interbank markets froze following a wave of bank failures.
Japan no exception to global threat: BoJ deputy
Kiyohiko Nishimura, the deputy governor of the Bank of Japan, has warned that the world's economies, including Japan, now face serious challenges.
BoJ: money markets still edgy
Global money markets remained nervous in the first half of 2008, according to the newest financial markets report from the Bank of Japan.
UAE launches emergency facility
The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates on Monday became the latest monetary institution to inject funds to alleviate interbank tensions, pledging Dh50 billion ($13.6 billion).
Central banks in third day of cash support
Central banks around the world continued for a third consecutive day to pump cash into global money markets on Wednesday.
Mistakes made on liquidity - Tumpel-Gugerell
The current crisis shows central bankers and regulators underestimated liquidity risk, admitted the European Central Bank's Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell.
Interdependence requires payment overhaul
Central banks need to adjust their oversight of payment and settlement systems to the new reality of heightened interdependence in financial markets, said Haruyuki Toyama, a deputy director general at the Bank of Japan at SIBOS, an industry forum…
Central bankers back Fannie and Freddie takeover
Central bankers worldwide have endorsed the US Treasury's de-facto nationalisation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) that insure about half of the US's mortgage stock.
Japanese productivity boosted by IT
Since the turn of the millennium, technological progress appears to have raised levels of Japanese productivity, new research published by the country's central bank finds.