United Kingdom
MPC's Lomax was only dissenter in UK rates cut
The Bank of England's nine member Monetary Policy Committee voted 8-1 for a cut in interest rates at their July meeting, minutes showed on Wednesday 23 July. The Financial Times reported that Rachel Lomax, the new deputy governor, attending her first…
Mervyn King looks up Sylvia Hotpants
Some people have been tempted to ask, "Do we need a new Bretton Woods"? According to Mervyn King, the answer is clearly "no". Why? Well, there are dangers in them woods. "My mother said, I never should, play with the gypsies in the woods". Especially if…
John Footman in key Bank role
The new Bank of England governor, Mervyn King, has set about selecting his top team and slotting people into jobs.
Nickell on employment and taxes
In a speech on 'Employment and Taxes' given on 21 July Stephen Nickell of the Bank of England's MPC concluded that tax rates are a significant factor in explaining differences in the amount of market work undertaken by the working age population in…
Bank of England to withdraw Dickens £10 note
The Bank of England intends to withdraw the £10 note featuring Charles Dickens at the end of July. The new style £10 note with a portrait of Charles Darwin will remain in circulation.
Bank of England's Court appoints John Footman
The Bank of England has announced the appointment of John Footman as an Executive Director to its Court of Directors, 17 July. John Footman (50) joined the Bank in 1969 and has worked across most of the Bank's main functions.
New Bank team take their bow
Appearing for the first time before the UK Treasury Select Committee in his new capacity as governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King disarmingly admitted to having "no idea" whether the current level of 3.5% of interests was the correct level. This…
UK inflation shows surprise fall
The UK inflation rate fell to 2.8% on Tuesday, moving closer towards the Bank of England's 2.5% target, according to Reuters. Most analysts had predicted an increase to 3.0%.
UK economy 'in uncharted territory'
Giving evidence before the UK parliament's treasury select committee on Tuesday new Bank of England governor Mervyn King said he had "no idea" if 3.5 per cent was exactly the right level for UK interest rates. Rachel Lomax also appeared before the…
ECB's Duisenberg confirms 1 Nov retirement
At Thursday's ECB news conference Wim Duisenberg confirmed that he expects to hand over to Bank of France governor Jean-Claude Trichet on 1 November. Duisenberg said that he saw no risk that he will be regarded as a "lame duck" president during the…
Bank of England statement on rate cut decision
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee today voted to reduce the Bank's repo rate by 0.25% to 3.50%, 10 July. In its press release the Bank said the global economic recovery remained hesitant and the cut was needed to keep inflation on track to…
UK interest rates cut by a quarter point
The Bank of England cut interest rates by a quarter point to 3.5 per cent on Thursday. The Bank said the fall in the value of the pound since the start of the year should help underpin growth, but pointed out that the decrease had been partly reversed in…
Special Exhibition at the Bank of England Museum
This week the Bank of England marks the 250th anniversary of the birth, in 1753, of its renowned architect Sir John Soane with the opening of a special commemorative exhibition in the Bank's Museum, 8 July.
Bank of England meets with King and Lomax in place
The Bank of England's interest rate setting MPC began their two day meeting Wednesday. It will be the first time Mervyn King sits on the Committee as governor and the first MPC meeting for Rachel Lomax who takes over from King as the new deputy governor…
King assumes his throne
The long-awaited moment has arrived: Mervyn King has moved into EddieGeorge's offices on Threadneedle Street, now that he has been baptised asgovernor of the Bank of England.
Crockett honoured
Andrew Crockett always did have one of those names that look as if it is just waiting to have a "sir" in front of it. Now the space has been duly filled as the former central banker and general manager of the BIS received a knighthood from the Queen of…
Central banker and football fan
Mervyn King, the new governor of the Bank of England is a well-known supporter of Aston Villa, the English football club. In fact, until recently King was senior vice-president of the club.
New Bank of England governor speaks of his pride
On the eve of taking over as Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King spoke to The Times about his personal approach to the role, filling the shoes of Sir Edward George and crucial issues facing the financial sector, including the prospect of…
UK failing to track dirty money
A new report, commissioned from KPMG by the UK government, reveals problems "inherent in all aspects" of efforts to track money laundering in the UK.
The Bank of England gets a respected new chief
Mervyn King began his 5-year term as governor of the Bank of England on 1 July. An article in BusinessWeek describes him as the brains behind the Bank's solid track record since 1997. He is viewed as both a formidable scholar and independent thinker.
Farewell Eddie
Sir Edward George retired from the Bank of England on Monday. An article in the Financial Times looks back at his time as governor which, it says, can be looked on a successful decade which will not see him move rapidly from Who's Who to Who's He?
Bank of England Financial Stability Review, Jun 03
The Bank of England published its latest Financial Stability Review for June 2003 on Thursday 26 June. It contains the Bank's regular half-yearly review of risks to financial stability and measures taken to strengthen the financial infrastructure,…
BofE's George shrugs off fears of deflation
In an appearance before the Treasury select committee on Tuesday outgoing governor of the Bank of England Edward George said there was an "extremely" low risk of deflation in the UK and the US, acording to the Independent newspaper. He described the risk…
Wisdom, wit and gaffes from Sir Edward George
As the governor of the Bank of England prepares to leave the Old Lady an article in the Independent guides you, in its words, "through some of Sir Edward's "thoughts" and some other thoughts about Sir Edward, renowned central banker, after-dinner speaker…