United Kingdom
Why not a female Governor of the Bank of England?
ARTICLE - An interesting article looks at women in central banks and why so few make it to the top position. The article suggests central bankers like the power of knowing things which they can keep from the public but that women don't like playing that…
Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%
The Bank of England held rates steady on Thursday after warning of a sharp correction in UK house prices, risks to inflation and minutes from the last meeting showed the MPC moving further away from an easing bias.
Practical Issues Arising from the Euro
REPORT - The Bank of England has published the latest in its twice yearly series 'Practical Issues Arising from the Euro' for November 2002. Part 1 reports on the UK's performance as a euro financial centre since the launch of the euro at the beginning…
Financial Times comments on Central Banking
CentralBankNet was delighted to read that the Financial Times on Monday called our quarterly Central Banking journal the "must-read bible" of the worlds central bankers.
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
Mervyn King will be the next governor of the Bank of England, it was revealed this week. With Sir Edward George in the post until June next year it is expected that the changeover will be smooth. But along with headlines announcing the arrival of the…
Heading for a collision over the euro
ARTICLE - The article suggests that it would be 'extraordinary' were the UK Treasury to recommend entry to the euro after the signals they have sent out since the last general election.
Report hints UK Treasury to reject 2003 euro entry
Gordon Brown has warned of the dangers of Britain accepting "rigid rules" to govern the economy, a move observers say further indicates the Treasury's intention to reject entry to the euro next year.
The Bank is losing a house price game
ARTICLE - This article suggests that the Bank of England's interest rate strategy has gone wrong causing a house price bubble and that central bankers avoid discussion on asset price bubbles incase their collapse makes them look stupid.
Bean on the MPC the UK economy, deflation and debt
SPEECH - In the speech 'The MPC and the UK Economy: Should we fear the D-words?' Charles Bean of the Bank of England said that the recent alarmist talk of the threat of global deflation has been overdone. There are good reasons for believing that the US…
Bank of England Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Following the announcement that Mr Mervyn King will replace Sir Edward George as Governor of the Bank of England when he retires at the end of June 2003, Sir Edward welcomed the appointment on Wednesday.
Biography - Mervyn Allister King
Mervyn King is the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England responsible for monetary policy, and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.
Mervyn King named next governor of Bank of England
The announcement was made on Wednesday that Sir Edward George will be replaced by the current deputy governor for monetary policy, Mervyn King when Sir Edward steps down in June 2003.
George says public spending will prop up growth
Speaking on Tuesday the Bank of England's governor, Sir Edward George said public spending will underpin UK economic growth once consumer demand starts to wane, but any "substantial and generalised" public sector pay rises will push up inflation. He gave…
London not losing out over euro says B of E
In its six monthly 'Practical Issues Arising from the Euro' the Bank of England said on Friday that the City of London had retained its share of foreign exchange trading and in various other dealing areas since the introduction of the euro as a tradeable…
Reserve Management in an Era of Low Returns
RESEARCH - Although central banks have traditionally conducted their reserves management in a conservative and risk-averse way, the very low interest rates we see now have caused central banks, like other fixed income investors, to search for higher…
Mervyn King at the LSE
The irrepressible Mervyn King, deputy governor of the Bank of England, was in ebullient mood Tuesday night at the London School of Economics as he lauded the achievements of the Bank's ten years of inflation targetting. Nick Carver of Central Banking was…
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Minutes
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting released on 20 November for the meeting of 6 and 7 November 2002. The nine MPC members voted on a proposal to maintain the repo rate at 4.0%. Seven voted in favour of this with…
Bank of England Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - In a speech at the London School of Economics 19 November, Mervyn King, Deputy Governor, Bank of England, explains in detail why price stability is desirable and sets out the benefits it has brought to the UK - The Inflation Target 10…
King on The Inflation Target 10 Years on
SPEECH - In the speech 'The Inflation Target 10 Years on' Mervyn King of the Bank of England said the Monetary Policy Committee could not target asset prices directly but spent a lot of time questioning how such changes should affect policy. He believes…
Bank of England voted 7-2 to hold rates
The Bank of England seem to be moving away from an easing bias, minutes published Wednesday show. The previous record showed three committee members wanted a quarter point rate cut but this time Kate Barker shifted back with the majority in favour of…
George moves to allay fears on public finances
Edward George agrees with Mervyn King that the UK housing market is set for a dramatic slowdown in price rises. He joins the stability and growth pact debate effectively criticising it by raising concerns about spending cuts and tax increases when the…
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
SPECIAL FEATURE - Mervyn King caused a stir last week saying "I have no wish to go into the pulpit" and lecture people about house prices. But with UK property values at dangerously high levels and the catastrophic consequences for the UK economy if, in…
Britain held back by isolation from euro
LETTER - Letter published in the Financial Times, 18 November by Simon Buckby, Campaign Director, Britain in Europe. He says Britain's label of the 'reluctant European' has cost it dear and membership of the euro will be the first step in repairing the…
Edward George on price/earnings ratios
SPEECH - Sir Edward George of the Bank of England told the Association of Corporate Treasurers last week that on some measures price/earnings ratos were back to the long-term averages. Is he saying the equity bubble is over, at least in the UK?