Central Banking
Merkel names Weber’s successor
German chancellor Angela Merkel nominates economic adviser Jens Weidmann to replace Axel Weber as president of Bundesbank; picks BaFin director Sabine Lautenschläger-Peiter as new vice-president
Without better data, we risk a repeat of the crisis
More analysis of the nature of cross-border financial flows and a global risk map are essential in countering systemic threats, Bernd Braasch argues
High US unemployment suggests greater search frictions: Nobel Prizewinner Pissarides
London School of Economics professor says fact that rising vacancies have failed to temper unemployment signifies “something wrong” in labour market
PBoC to lend to drought-wracked agricultural sector
People’s Bank of China says it will lend for agricultural purchases and drought relief to stymie effects of continuing drought
Brazil’s Tombini nominates two deputy governors
Central Bank of Brazil president Alexandre Tombini names two department heads to sit on rate-setting committee
Draghi strikes familiar chord on eurozone’s future
Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi stresses importance of fiscal discipline, says monetary union is sound
HKMA plans launch of new HK$500 note
Hong Kong Monetary Authority says banknote will enter circulation next week
Basel surveys literature on links between finance and real economy
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s Research Task Force identifies three transmission channels between financial sector and real economy
Inflation benefits poor, hurts rich: Central Bank of Chile paper
Central Bank of Chile study shows contrary to conventional wisdom inflation has negative affects on welfare of rich but benefits the poor
NY Fed: consumer debt declines
New York Federal Reserve February 2011 Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit shows aggregate consumer debt declined in fourth quarter of 2010
ECB’s Bini Smaghi on causes of euro-area imbalances
European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi says lack of labour and product market reforms created imbalances in euro area
King acknowledges risk of wage-price spiral as inflation climbs to double Bank’s target
Inflation of 4% in January prompts Bank of England governor Mervyn King to pen another letter to the chancellor; letter acknowledges mounting inflationary pressures
Fed’s Tarullo outlines OTC derivatives reform agenda
Federal Reserve governor Daniel Tarullo stresses importance of central counterparties, close scrutiny of market participants
Reserve Bank of India Bulletin (February 2011)
Reserve Bank of India monthly bulletin says current account deficit widened in third quarter of 2010 due to decline in terms of trade
Public perception of economy gloomy: BoJ survey
Bank of Japan 44th opinion survey on the general public's views and behaviour shows public believe economic conditions are worsening
Credit card transactions rise: HKMA lending survey
Results of Hong Kong Monetary Authority Fourth Quarter 2010 Credit Card Lending Survey show increase in credit card transactions
Buba paper covers US drivers of imbalances
Bundesbank study says household and firm behaviour can explain why decline in US productivity was a driver of global imbalances
Kansas City Fed paper on search frictions in monetary policy
Kansas City Federal Reserve paper finds evidence of indeterminacy in monetary policy in models with labour markets search frictions
Belgium’s Praet to be nominated to ECB executive board
Eurozone finance ministers recommend National Bank of Belgium executive director Peter Praet to European Central Bank executive board
Taiwanese central bank disputes name change
Regional group’s use of Chinese Taipei label after mainland China’s entry sparks row with Taiwan’s central bank
Fed’s Raskin urges lenders to put housing market before profits
Federal Reserve Board member Sarah Raskin calls on mortgage service providers to take moral “high road” and place recovery in housing market before profits
Spanish banks’ ECB reliance drops
Spanish banks’ borrowing from European Central Bank declines just over 20% compared to December
Bond purchase frictions convinced Weber to drop out of ECB race
Bundesbank's Axel Weber says divergent views on ECB’s bond purchases meant he was no longer an acceptable candidate to succeed Trichet; stresses he was right to stick to his guns
Weber to quit Buba in April
Bundesbank confirms president will step down in coming months; term was due to end in 2012