Russia
Armenia’s Galstyan calls for a new framework to tackle uncertainty and nonlinearities
Central Bank of Armenia governor says central banks can start to regain credibility by admitting their mistakes. This could include employing a risk-management approach to monetary policy aimed at avoiding nonlinear ‘dark corners’ and placing much less…
Banknotes: October to December 2022
A round-up of news and salient issues that have affected central bankers in the past three months
Central bank assets enjoy ‘99%’ immunity
Why central bank assets possess legal immunity – but not from sanctions
Bank of Russia says Putin’s mobilisation will hit demand
Kazakhstan rates rocket, while Azerbaijan central bank warns about fiscal policy
Banks in Kyrgyzstan suspend Mir
Operations limited in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Vietnam on threat of US sanctions
Demand for cash in turbulent times
Antti Heinonen analyses trends in cash use as Covid fades, but new shocks take its place
The race to adopt ISO 20022 payments messaging
Some jurisdictions do not plan to adopt the protocol, while others are preparing for a disjointed implementation
Ukraine: the challenges for central banks
Rules on the weaponisation of money would help to protect a ‘public good’ amid geopolitical splits in a testing environment for central banks, write Gavin Bingham, Paul Fisher and Andrew Large
Russia’s Mir forced into retreat
Banks and payment systems across Asia banish Russian cards after US warnings
US imposes sanctions on Russian governor
Treasury says Nabiullina and other officials have facilitated Russian invasion of Ukraine
Inflation: what went wrong, and why?
Charles Goodhart and Manoj Pradhan detail three theories on the causes of high inflation, as well as their implications for policy responses
Russian central bank cuts rates again but Nabiullina warns over deficit
Higher structural deficits would force central bank to raise rates, governor says
Economy’s ‘first responders’ now in the line of fire
Forceful but late interventions to combat inflation raise the risk of central bank overreactions
Bank of Russia says lenders have lost $24 billion
Central bank issues pessimistic forecast on oil earnings but says lenders are coping with sanctions
Will the dollar remain the world’s reserve currency?
Bank of Russia sanctions are unlikely to undermine the US dollar’s central role in reserve portfolios. But a relative decline in US economic weight and technological innovation are benefiting other currencies
Gontareva on Ukraine’s funding, NBU policy and reconstruction
Former NBU governor Valeria Gontareva speaks about donor funding shortfalls, NBU policy and financial stability challenges, Nabuillina and the seizing of Russian assets, and post-conflict rebuilding and modernisation
Geostrategic risks now a major factor – CNB reserves head
Ondrej Strádal supports use of CBR reserves for reparations, is reassessing renminbi allocations and has US recession as a ‘base case’ scenario
Russian banks set to use digital ruble in 2024
Cross-border integration with “friendly countries” planned to bypass Swift
Ukraine’s wartime economy faces possible crisis
Foreign donors must increase financing of Ukrainian government, NBU ex-governor and current government adviser argue
How central bank mistakes after 2019 led to inflation
Central banks must acknowledge their own mistakes and outline concrete steps to restore the public’s confidence in their ability to ensure price stability, write Graeme Wheeler and Bryce Wilkinson*
The case for restoring the role of monetary aggregates
Tim Congdon argues that a surge in money supply in response to Covid-19 sparked heightened inflation and central banks need to refocus their attention on monetary aggregates
Bank of Russia cuts rates, but Nabiullina warns of volatility
Governor says inflation and currency are volatile, and “geopolitical situation” is creating uncertainty
Book notes: Harry White and the American creed, by James Boughton
This book offers a deeper understanding of the hugely influential IMF founder and his work, but fails to resolve espionage charges
US targets North Korean crypto hacking
Treasury seeks co-operation to better enforce sanctions on North Korea and Russia