United Kingdom
Andrew Large to head financial system taskforce
Deputy governor of the Bank of England for Financial Stability, Sir Andrew Large, has been asked to establish a taskforce to examine the possible need for legislative powers in the event of major operational disruption to the UK financial system.
Bank of England MPC Minutes 4/5 June 2003
Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting were released on 18 June for the meeting of 4 and 5 June 2003. The minutes showed that the MPC was split 6-3 in favour of maintaining interest rates at 3.75%. Kate Barker, Marian Bell and…
MPC recruit Lambert urges UK Treasury drop secrecy
The most recent member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee called for openness and transparency in the selection process of appointees to the MPC when facing the Treasury select committee on Monday 16 June, according to a report by the…
Interview with Bank of England's Stephen Nickell
UK inflation has peaked and will soon head lower, Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member Stephen Nickell told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday 17 June. He also played down the importance of the government's plan to switch the Bank's inflation…
Large on convergence in insurance and banking
In a speech on 'Convergence in Insurance and Banking: Some Financial Stability Issues' Andrew Large of the Bank of England said the data deficiencies we confront today where the actual location of risk is so opaque is a major challenge. Better…
Change in the remit of the Bank of England's MPC
In a letter from Gordon Brown to Eddie George, governor of the Bank of England, the chancellor sets out his intention to change the MPC's remit in the next Pre-Budget Report to give the Bank of England a symmetric inflation target as measured by the…
New Second Permanent Secretary at the Treasury
Professor Nicholas Stern will take over from Sir Robert Culpin in September as the new Second Permanent Secretary at the UK Treasury. Nick Stern has been Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at the World Bank, Washington D.C. since July 2000.
European Parliament response to UK euro decision
Christa Randzio-Plath, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee of Economic and Monetary Affairs, called the UK's decision on the euro politically motivated and said it was "unimaginable" for the UK to remain outside the single currency indefinately.
U.K. Euro Decision: Assessment and Analysis Guide
A report published on Monday 9 June by Bloomberg News provides a concise guide to the UK decision on the euro. It lists the five tests and the 18 separate studies used in the decision process as to whether to call a referendum on adopting the euro in the…
UK 'should join euro' when economics are right
The UK chancellor Gordon Brown confirmed on Monday 9 June that only one of the five economic tests had been passed for Britain's entry to the euro. He also set out measures that would increase economic convergence between the UK and eurozone saying he…
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
CentralBankNet looks into the Bank of England's forthcoming trial over its regulation of the now-liquidated Bank of Credit and Commerce International and finds the implications of a loss in court disturbing.
The role of asset prices in shock transmission
The Bank of England Working Paper entitled 'The role of asset prices in transmitting monetary and other shocks' constructs a framework within which the ability of asset prices to convey information about the underlying shocks hitting the economy can be…
New Bank of England Agency Opened in Exeter
Eddie George opened the Bank of England's new regional office in Exeter on Friday 23 May. This is the central base for the Bank's Agency for South West England.
Secrets of a soon to be missed central banker
Speaking on Tuesday 20 May, UK chancellor Gordon Brown spoke in glowing terms of Sir Edward George, the soon to depart governor of the Bank of England. "I will miss Eddie" he said, and went on to reveal a few central banking secrets, including the case…
Britain misses its euro connection
An article in the Financial Times says that it shouldn't be forgotten that the decision over whether Britain joins the euro is a political rather than an economic one. Both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, the authors argue, are guilty of dressing the…
BCCI defence costing Bank of England £1m a month
The High Court in London heard on Monday 19 May that the Bank of England is spending more than £1m a month to fight allegations that it recklessly mishandled the regulation of BCCI, according to the Financial Times.
Bank of England MPC Minutes 7/8 May 2003
Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting were released on 21 May for the meeting of 7 and 8 May 2003. The minutes showed that Christopher Allsopp, Kate Barker, Marian Bell and Stephen Nickell voted for a 25 basis point rate cut…
Trade Union leader appointed to BOE's Court
UK chancellor Gordon Brown announced the appointment of the head of the Trades Union Congress, Brendan Barber, to the court of directors of the Bank of England on Wednesday.
Bank of England voted 5-4 to hold rates
Policy makers at the Bank of England voted by a narrow five to four margin to keep its lending rate unchanged at 3.75pc earlier this month, BizWorld reports. The four MPC members calling for a rate cut were all external members of the Committee.
Bank of England - Annual Report 2003
The Bank of England has published its Annual Report for the year 2003. In his last foreword to the annual report, governor Eddie George said the Bank did not appreciate fully the extent and speed of the changes it was about to experience - changes which…
UK inflation stays at highest level in five years
The Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday 21 May the underlying annual inflation rate in the UK - the measure targeted by the Bank of England - was 3 per cent in April, unchanged from the previous month, reports the Financial Times
BoE Inflation Report, May: :world economy sluggish
The Bank of England published its quarterly Inflation Report for May 2003 on Thursday May 15. In the report the Bank said the recovery in the world economy has been sluggish. The conflict in Iraq was associated with a sharp deterioration in economic…
UK to announce euro entry decision on 9 June
The announcement over whether the UK has passed the five euro entry tests will be made on 9 June, according to the Financial Times and other newspapers. In what some reports called a dramatic announcement there will now be a decision-making process…
Upbeat on the UK, downbeat on Europe
Unveiling the Bank of England's May 2003 Inflation Report on Thursday, Mervyn King was upbeat about prospects for UK economic growth and inflation. The Bank predicts that growth will pick up to trend and inflation will fall to remain close to its target…