Central Banking
Bulgaria ordered capital hikes, report released
Bulgarian National Bank publishes 2010 Annual Report; asked three banks to increase capital
IMF urges emerging markets to tighten monetary policy
IMF Regional Economic Outlook for Asia report says emerging market central banks must tighten monetary policy to stave off inflation; acknowledges limitations of monetary tools
Bank Negara Malaysia sets up shop in Beijing
Bank Negara Malaysia signs agreement with People’s Bank of China to open representative office in Beijing
SEC proposes amendments to remove references to credit ratings in rules
SEC makes latest changes to bring legislation into line with Dodd-Frank; proposes numerous changes to the Exchange Act
Central banks continue to purchase gold
World Gold Council releases first Gold Investment Digest of 2011; shows central banks are still net buyers of gold in Q1
Finland’s central bank unveils first volume of official history
Bank of Finland publishes first of two-part history; describes how governor fought to stabilise national economy during the Great Depression
Economy on road to recovery: Sri Lanka’s Ranasinghe
Central Bank of Sri Lanka chief economist KD Ranasinghe says GDP growth in Sri Lanka more than doubled during 2010
Euro area SME external financing improves: ECB survey
European Central Bank survey on small and medium-sized enterprises shows moderate improvement in access to external finance in euro area
IMF paper builds US, euro area financial conditions indexes
Fund paper creates financial conditions indexes to forecast economic activity in the US and euro area
IT outsourcing services aid recovery: Central Bank of Philippines survey
Central Bank of the Philippines survey finds growth in IT-enabled services picked up in 2009
Bernanke holds first press conference
Federal Reserve chairman reiterates US commitment to strong dollar, voices concern over shift in outlook for US debt
China to broaden cross-border renminbi trade settlement
People’s Bank of China director of monetary policy Li Bo says central bank plans to expand pilot for cross-border renminbi trade to more regions on the mainland
S&P puts Japan on negative outlook
Standard and Poor’s places Japan’s long-term credit rating on negative outlook; Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa forecasts economy will contract in first two quarters
West African central bank reopens offices in Ivory Coast: reports
West Africa’s regional central bank resumes operations in Ivory Coast
Mexico chooses new deputy governor
Bank of Mexico chief economist Manuel Ramos Francia appointed deputy governor
More change at the Bank of Lithuania
New deputy chairman of the board of the Bank of Lithuania appointed; in the same week as new governor starts
Co-founder of Central Banking dies
William Clarke CBE was a co-founder and former chairman of Central Banking Publications
Central banking both an art and science: Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet says policymakers need formidable analytical capacities and good judgement
Bank’s Sentance calls for revaluation of sterling rate
Bank of England external Monetary Policy Committee member Andrew Sentance says Bank needs to strike a more even balance on sterling value
ECB – Euro Area Bank Lending Survey (April 2011)
European Central Bank April 2011 euro area bank lending survey reports moderate tightening of credit conditions in region
Bank of England - Asset Purchase Facility Report (First Quarter 2011)
Bank of England First Quarter 2011 Asset Purchase Facility Report shows adaption to reserve prices sparked higher sale in corporate bonds
Greece deficit revision sparks default concerns from analysts
Eurostat revises Greece’s deficit to GDP upwards by almost a percentage point; analysts reiterate need for Greece to restructure debt
Italy's Draghi seals Sarkozy's support for ECB job
French president Nicolas Sarkozy backs Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet as head of the European Central Bank
Kosovo’s acting governor to take helm of central bank permanently
Kosovo selects acting head of Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo Gani Gërguri to replace former governor Hashim Rexhepi