Japan
Japan's low rates explained
Japan's low long-term interest rates can be explained with economic rationality, according to a paper published by the Bank of Japan on Wednesday.
Mizuno wanted 25 bp hike
The minutes from the Bank of Japan's monetary policy board July meeting confirm that Atsushi Mizuno wanted to raise the overnight rate from 0.5% to 0.75%.
Japan holds rates for now
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy board voted 8-1 in favour of keeping the overnight call rate at about 0.5%.
Bank of England joins the fray with emergency loan
In what represents its first unusual market intervention during the current spell of market volatility, the Bank of England lent £314 million ($622 million) today to an unnamed financial institution through its standing facility.
Market optimism fades after Fed action
After the rally in US equity market of Friday continued in Asian and European markets after the weekend, Wall Street indexes were firmly back in the red by mid-day on Monday.
Japan injects 1.2 trillion as Nikkei falls 5.4%
The Bank of Japan lent 1.2 trillion ($10.5 billion) to the markets Friday after draining 2 trillion Wednesday. The central bank's injection was made as market concerns over liquidity took the overnight lending rate above the central bank's 0.5% target.
Japan drains 2 trillion to stabilise rates
The Bank of Japan absorbed 2 trillion ($16.8 billion) from the markets on Wednesday 15 August after the overnight call rate dropped below the central bank's target rate.
BoJ survey shows little change in public mood
A Bank of Japan poll found most consumers remain pessimistic about the country's economy.
Japan injects 1.6 trillion into money markets
The Bank of Japan injected 1 trillion ($8.4 billion) into the money markets Friday and 600 billion Monday in an effort to counter shockwaves triggered by the US subprime crisis.
Japanese regulator seeks hedge fund clamp-down
The Japanese Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC), has warned that investment banks and hedge funds are becoming "too close" and expressed fears that this could lead to insider trading and other forms of misconduct.
Paper uncovers Japanese price-setting trends
A paper by the Bank of Japan has established four facts on price setting based on data in the retail price survey from 1989
Price setting behaviour in Japan
The Bank of Japan has published a working paper exploring micro price setting behaviour and price hazard functions.
IMF board backs global imbalances plan
The board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has backed a plan for conducting multilateral surveillance aimed at reducing global imbalances.
Bank of Japan plans gradual share sale
The Bank of Japan is considering ways to limit the market impact of its move to start selling shares in the country's commercial banks, bought between November 2002 and September 2004, by October this year.
Fund raises 2007 and 2008 growth forecast
The July update of the World Economic Outlook (WEO) published on 25 July by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased the Fund forecast for global economic growth for 2007 and 2008 to 5.2%, from 4.9%.
Post-bubble monetary policy in Japan - paper
A new paper from the Bank of Japan's IMES looks at the the monetary-poicy decsions made in the 1990s as Japan's economy reeled from collapses in propoerty and stock prices.
Japanese policymakers fear US housing problems
Minutes of the June 14-15 meeting of the Bank of Japan's policy board, published today, show that some board members have concerns about the persistence of housing problems in the United States, which may point to difficulties in making future rate rises.
Japan's CPI understated deflation - NBER paper
Japan's deflation would have more than twice as severe as official statistics suggested if the country adopted American methodologies which correct for substitution biases and quality upgrading, this NBER working paper finds.
Inflation surprise lifts New Zealand dollar
New Zealand's benchmark interest rate is widely expected to be raised by a quarter of a percentage point to a record level of 8.25% next week, after a report published today revealed that inflation has risen faster than the Reserve Bank anticipated. The…
Bank of Japan stays put
The Bank of Japan left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.5% on Thursday. Only one board member, Atsushi Mizuno, opposed the decision and voted for a rate rise.
Japan: regional economic report
The Bank of Japan published a regional economic report on 6 July.
Keeping rates low in Japan "could hurt growth"
Two members of the board of the Bank of Japan have dropped strong hints that the central bank is very much in tightening mode, suggesting that a continuation of low interest will hurt the economy.
Business sentiment remains upbeat in Japan
The latest edition of the Bank of Japan's widely-followed Tankan business sentiment poll, published on 2 July, shows that businesses remain upbeat about the country's economic prospects.
Examining inflation target uncertainty
In this Bank of Japan Working Paper, the authors analyse the interaction between private agents' uncertainty about inflation target and the central bank's data uncertainty.