Central Banking
Boston Fed: Real rigidities dampen exchange rate shocks
Boston Federal Reserve study on price rigidities shows intense price competition leads to weak pass-through effects when there is an exchange rate shock
Fed’s Bullard calls for further QE
St Louis Federal Reserve president James Bullard says United States must commit to further stimulus if it wants to avoid a deflationary trap like Japan
Refining the BoJ’s operating model
In the third of a six-part series on the Japanese economy, Robert Pringle reports from Tokyo on how the crisis has impacted the nation’s global outlook
CIC’s profits soar by 81%
China Investment Corporation records gains of $41.6 billion
Argentina may raise deposit ratio in latest attempt to curb money growth: reports
Governor thought to be keen on ten percentage point rise in proportion of deposits lenders must place in central bank coffers
BoJ: productivity underestimated during expansions
Bank of Japan study into labour productivity revisions shows productivity growth is often underestimated during expansions
Federal Reserve – Beige Book (July 2010)
Federal Reserve’s July Beige Book shows significant improvement in labour markets across five of the United States’ 12 districts
Boston Fed: poor subsidise card payment transfers of rich
Boston Federal Reserve paper shows low income households subsidise the cost of card payment transfers for high income households through higher relative prices
IMF: high indebtedness depresses growth
Fund study says higher initial debt levels have negative effect on growth
Fed finally set for full complement of governors
Senate Banking Committee okays Janet Yellen for Fed vice-chair; Peter Diamond and Sarah Raskin also approved for Fed board; first time six governors have served the Fed in more than four years
Kosovo’s incarcerated governor hit with fresh charges
Kosovo’s central bank governor Hashim Rexhep charged with allegedly abusing official position and receiving bribes
ECB closes in on inferior collateral with new haircut scheme
European Central Bank’s new discount schedule increases haircuts levied on troublesome collateral, such as asset-backed securities; analysts expect move to discourage pledging of risky assets
Buba’s Sarrazin under racial hatred investigation
German prosecutors launch investigations into racist comments made by Bundesbank executive board member Thilo Sarrazin; central bank maintains silence over controversy
Venezuela’s Merentes announces plans to reopen foreign dollar-denominated bond market
Central Bank of Venezuela president Nelson Merentes says market will accept bonds from South American neighbours
Bank of England – Asset Purchase Facility Annual Report (2009/10)
Asset Purchase Facility Annual Report shows Bank £1.75 billion down on back of decline in value of gilt stock
Fed’s response averted a depression: Blinder
A paper co-authored by former Federal Reserve governor Alan Blinder says the central bank’s extraordinary polices prevented the country from entering a second Great Depression
Bank of Canada: firms don’t smooth inventories
Bank of Canada study shows high costs attached to inventories deters firms from smoothing inventory ahead of countercyclical swings
National Bank of Slovakia – Monthly Bulletin (June 2010)
National Bank of Slovakia’s June Monthly Bulletin shows inflation was lower than expected for the month
Asia’s low income countries will outpace other regions
IMF special advisor Min Zhu says Asian low income countries well placed to benefit from region’s boom
RBI attempts to soothe market jitters with more rate reviews
Reserve Bank of India will release four extra monetary policy reviews per year in a bid to keep investors calm; decision brings it in line with bulk of major central banks
Eurozone banks tighten standards as loan demand grows
European Central Bank’s second quarter lending survey shows banks toughening standards for borrowers, reflecting unease from sovereign debt crisis spillover; demand, meanwhile, increases
King parries claims Bank will get too much power
Bank of England governor Mervyn King says creation of the Financial Policy Committee will not make central bank too powerful
King stresses wait-and-see approach to rate-setting
Bank of England governor Mervyn King dismisses suggestions that one or another view dominates rate-setting committee; deputy Charles Bean reiterates question marks over effects of quantitative easing
Policy produces dull but safe banks
In the second of a six-part series on the Japanese economy, Robert Pringle reports from Tokyo on how the crisis has impacted the nation’s global outlook