Central Banking Journal
Book notes: The Tides of Capital, by Julia Leung
This “stimulating read” offers a unique perspective on how Asian countries have developed economically over the past 20 years. More interesting is Leung’s unintentional revelation that they still have a long way to go
St Louis’s Bullard on the future of the Fed and its monetary policy record
St Louis Fed president James Bullard rails against east coast dominance, favours aspects of the Choice Act and says Fed monetary policy was a “factor” that fuelled crisis
FDIC’s Hoenig on restoring the structural integrity of banks
Commercial banks and payment operations should be ring-fenced within bank holding companies as insured entities with 10% equity. Then, market forces – rather than burdensome regulation – could determine capital for other activities
Indonesian deputy Perry on revolutionising monetary and financial policy
Perry Warjiyo explains the central bank’s radical overhaul of monetary policy operations, market deepening and financial inclusion in Indonesia
Making the rules and breaking the mould (Allan Meltzer: 1928–2017)
John Taylor writes about the extraordinary life of a pioneering economist whose lifelong work defied traditional rules – but one who strongly advocated them for central banks
Book notes: Fed Up, by Danielle diMartino Booth
A “fascinating but annoying” account by a US Federal Reserve insider who openly criticises the culture of the US central bank and policy decisions made by the institution leading up to and following the financial crisis
Book notes: Crash Bang Wallop, by Iain Martin
A comprehensive study of the City of London and how it became the world’s leading financial centre prior to the financial crisis and the UK’s vote to leave the European Union
Tackling the ‘human agency’ problem
Central banks are readying their communication strategies to mitigate a populist backlash against their post-crisis policies
Former Fed vice-chair Kohn on populism, top central bankers
Donald Kohn speaks to Christopher Jeffery about his fears for the Fed amid mounting populism, why he has few policy regrets and his experiences working with some of the world’s top central bankers
Croatia’s Vujčić on tackling NPLs and home-host supervision
Croatian National Bank governor Boris Vujčić explains why dealing firmly with NPLs via a ‘provisioning clock’ does not choke growth while detailing the benefits of ‘home-host’ dialogues, such as the Vienna Initiative
Ukraine’s Gontareva on one of the toughest jobs in central banking
The outgoing National Bank of Ukraine governor speaks about transforming the central bank while engaging in wartime deficit funding and overhauling the banking sector
The BoJ’s risky yield curve control experiment
The Bank of Japan’s experiment with yield curve control could work if appropriate targets and communication strategies were applied. But its current policy objectives are muddled
All aboard the blockchain
The underpinning architecture of bitcoin and other crypto-currencies – distributed ledger technology – has the potential to revolutionise digital payments, with some central banks working out how to harness ‘the blockchain’
The myth of independence
The US Federal Reserve stresses independence from government as central to its ability to fulfil its dual mandate. But much of the academic evidence that independent central banks generate better policy outcomes is fundamentally flawed, argues Thomas…
Should more attention be paid to house prices?
The Czech National Bank’s experiences offer insights into using a broader inflation measure with a greater weight on housing to address both monetary and macro-prudential policy requirements
Book notes: Gaining Currency, by Eswar Prasad
A detailed study into the renminbi’s journey to becoming the reserve currency, taking a close look at the hurdles it has overcome and what obstacles remain in its way to competing on the global stage
A CCP is a CCP is a CCP
The challenge of establishing standards for CCP risk management and resilience is even more difficult when policymakers view CCPs through the lens of banking regulation
Book notes: Bankers, Bureaucrats and Central Bank Politics, by Christopher Adolph
An interesting, if slightly dated, analysis of those who made monetary policy decisions in advanced economies between 1950–2001, attempting to understand whether personal background influences decision-making
Book notes: Competition and Stability in Banking, by Xavier Vives
Xavier Vives has written a fascinating book that highlights many important issues in banking regulation. But there are some flaws in his argument
Basel action needed before ‘regulatory cycle’ turns
Failure to reach a deal raises the risk of more entrenched protectionist positions
Book notes: The Nobel Factor, by Avner Offer and Gabriel Söderberg
The authors offer some illuminating points on the politics behind the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, but fail to sufficiently challenge Sweden's social democracy, writes Graham Bannock
Lifetime achievement award: Donald Kohn
Donald Kohn’s objectivity, intelligence, humour, tireless energy and iron determination to get the job done epitomise the role of a dedicated public servant. He serves as an inspiration to others
Kazakhstan’s long path to inflation targeting
After a slow start, the National Bank of Kazakhstan’s implementation of inflation forecast targeting is beginning to mature. By Warren Coats
PBoC’s hike signals policy management shift
The decision by China’s central bank to raise a suite of interest rates around Chinese New Year marks a shift towards market-based tightening, argues Hui Feng