United Kingdom
Former governors to give evidence in BCCI case
The Bank of England will call on former governors as it resumes the defence of its role in the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
Bank of England voted 9-0 to hold rates in Sept
The Bank of England said on Wednesday 22 September that it voted 9-0 to hold rates at 4.75 per cent in its 8 and 9 September MPC meeting. The Bank noted that recent labour market data was "surprisingly weak," though inflationary pressures were still…
BoE's Bell on statistical problems
In a speech on 'Monetary Policy, Data Uncertainty and the Supply-Side: Living With the Statistical Fog' given on 15 September, Marian Bell of the Bank of England said it is inevitable that official statistics are subject to significant uncertainty and…
Nickell warns on UK house prices
In a speech on 'Household debt, house prices and consumption growth' given on 14 September, Stephen Nickell of the Bank of England said there is a significant probability that house prices in the UK will fall at some stage though it is hard to say how…
On the resolution of banking crises
This Bank of England Working Paper reviews the merits of the various techniques used by authorities when resolving individual or widespread bank failures in developed and emerging market economies. Open-ended central bank liquidity support seems to have…
Weak EU growth threat to recovery: UK's Brown
Weak economic growth in the European Union is threatening the "uneven and fragile" global recovery, British Treasury chief Gordon Brown said in comments published on Friday 10 September.
BoE's Bean on global demographic change
In a speech 'Global demographic change: Some implications for central banks' given on 28 August, Charles Bean of the Bank of England said that although central banks will need to adapt to the changes brought about by an ageing population, for the most…
Minutes of Bank of England MPC, August
Minutes from the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee revealed a unanimous decision to raise interest rates in August, but indicate that the UK may be approaching the end of the series of rate rises which began in November 2003.
Are there too many yes men on the MPC?
This article reports that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has remained significantly more consensual than their predecessors, with an average "maverick rating" of just under three compared with nearly five among previous members. This…
Bank of England forecasts falling inflation
The Bank of England published its August 2004 Inflation Report on 11 August. According to the report UK inflation will hit its 2% target in two years, as long as interest rates rise in line with the gradual upward path the market currently expects.
Bank of England lifts rates to 4.75%, ECB holds
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to raise the Bank's repo rate by 0.25 percentage points on Thursday 5 August. The Bank said that its decision reflected continued strong growth which is likely to lead to rising inflationary pressures…
Research says BoE's MPC lacks 'vigorous debate'
Research published on Thursday 5 August suggested the Bank of England's interest rate setting Monetary Policy Committee lacks "vigorous debate" partly explained by the increasingly dominant influence of Mervyn King.
Central bank coxswain can't fully trust the crew
The Bank of England sees its role as a manager of other people's behaviour, this article says. A bit like the coxswain in a rowing race, the Bank both barks out orders and has a well-trained hand on the tiller. Central bankers, inevitably, like to think…
BoE wins appeal on limiting legal privilege
The Bank of England won an appeal on Thursday 29 July against rulings that restrict the confidentiality of a lawyer's contact with clients. The British government and Law Society had supported its claim that the Court of Appeal erred in its rulings on…
Tucker on managing the central bank balance sheet
In the speech 'Managing the central bank's balance sheet: Where monetary policy meets financial stability' given on 28 July Paul Tucker of the Bank of England said sets out the analysis underlying the Bank's announcement on 22 July of major reforms of…
BoE's Bean: current issues in UK monetary policy
In a speech on 'Some current issues in UK monetary policy' given on 28 July, Charlie Bean of the Bank of England said that "the immediate economic outlook appears brighter than it has done for a while".
Bank of England's customer banking strategy review
Following a review of its customer banking activities, the Bank of England said on 27 July that it has concluded that the provision of retail banking activities does not form an integral part of its role as a central bank.
Reform of the Bank of England's operations
The Bank of England on 22 July announced the result of its review of its official operations in the sterling money markets. The Bank will initiate a new system based on averaging with voluntary reserves remunerated at the Bank's repo rate.
Summary of Bank of England's BCCI defence so far
The Bank of England started its defence in the BCCI case on Monday 19th July. After today (23 July), the Court will break until Monday 27 September. As the BCCI trial does not progress further until late September, here is a brief summary of what Nick…
Bank of England's furniture goes under the hammer
The Bank of England raised £266,605 on Wednesday 21 july by auctioning antique furniture after the 310-year-old institution adopted an open-plan layout at its London headquarters.
BoE united on decision to hold rates, 7/8 July
Minutes for the Bank of England's 7 and 8 July Monetary Policy Committee meeting released on Wednesday 21 July showed the MPC voted unanimously to keep interest rates steady at 4.5 per cent but indicated that borrowing costs would have to rise again in…
Court hears BCCI claims 'implausible'
Lawyers for the Bank of England said on Monday 19 July that allegations that 22 of its officials acted with dishonesty when they allowed Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA to operate in the UK are "fundamentally implausible."
Bank of England holds rates unchanged
The Bank of England decided against a third consecutive monthly rise in interest rates on Thursday 8 July , in a move which was widely expected.
Inside the Bank of England
This article asks whether the Bank of England will succeed in trying to contain a housing bubble. An "admirable steadiness" has won Mervyn King a top reputation in the rarefied world of central banking with the BOE being considered by many a model of…