Central Banking
Zimbabwe halts e-transfers, inflation at 531 bn%
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on Friday halted electronic transfers as the currency plunged to a fresh low. News of the stoppage follows a new estimate puts Zimbabwean annual inflation at 531 billion percent.
Wells Fargo bids for Wachovia
Wells Fargo, a US bank, looks set to snag Wachovia from Citigroup, the world's biggest lender, after offering $15.1 billion for the troubled bank. The move could see the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which manages the US's deposit…
ECB's Bini-Smaghi: tackle conflicts of interest
The main problem with financial markets comes from conflicts of interest at all levels, said Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi, a member of the executive board of the European Central Bank.
Bundesbank's Weber on monetary policy
Monetary policy should react to the financial cycle in a more symmetric way, said Axel Weber, the president of the Bundesbank.
Benefits of remittances overstated
The economy-wide benefits of remittances may be overstated, finds a new paper from the International Monetary Fund.
Wages and prices determined by shocks
New research from the Bank of Portugal finds that import-price and unemployment shocks lead to wage and price rises in the Portuguese economy.
House passes bailout plan
The House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress, has backed a revised version of the Treasury's $700 billion plan to tackle the financial crisis.
US can learn from Sweden's banking crisis
A new research paper prepared for the US congress draws lessons for the US from Sweden's banking crisis in the early 1990s.
Fed deserves praise for online efforts
As the international financial system totters, the Federal Reserve banks are making full use of their websites to keep the public informed, says David Bowen, a senior consultant at Bowen Craggs, web advisers.
Atlanta's Lockhart: financial sector matters
A working financial sector matters to us all, said Dennis Lockhart, the president of the Atlanta Federal Reserve.
Phillips curve is flattening
A new paper from the Reserve Bank of Australia finds that the Phillips curve, which measures the relationship between unemployment and inflation, has flattened in recent years.
Trichet comments raise prospect of December cut
The European Central Bank (ECB) kept rates on hold again on Thursday, but more-dovish-than expected comments from Jean-Claude Trichet, the central bank's president, signalled the Governing Council could cut before the end of 2008.
EU economists demand systemic response
A group of Europe's most prominent economists on Thursday urged Brussels to re-capitalise the continent's battered banking sector or risk the crisis spiralling out of control.
Senate endorses Treasury plan
A large majority of US senators on Wednesday backed the Treasury's $700 billion plan to tackle the financial crisis.
Call for mutual model to protect UK deposits
Senior City of London figures have called for the UK to set up a deposit protection scheme run by the banks, independently of any financial regulator.
Bank appoints Magic Circle partner as legal chief
Graham Nicholson, a partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, one of the City of London's most prestigious law firms, will become the Bank of England's chief legal adviser at the start of next year.
Trichet on the turmoil
The root of the problems in many financial institutions was their inability to adequately assess the risks associated with their exposures, said Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank.
Plan must pass to stem panic: ex-Fed's Posen
The Treasury's plan to buy distressed assets was poorly presented to politicians and US taxpayers. But it will likely work and should be passed, says Adam Posen, a Peterson Institute deputy director
RBI quashes rumours second-biggest bank at risk
The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday moved to soothe concerns that ICICI Bank, a Mumbai-based lender, was in trouble after reports emerged of a run on the bank.
FDIC pushes for more deposit insurance
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which manages the US's deposit insurance fund, has added its support to calls for Congress to raise the guarantee on deposits.
Riksbank striving to inform public on crunch
The Riksbank is providing and updating a list of questions and answers on the financial turmoil.
EU reveals plans for tougher rules for banks
The European Commission wants to impose more stringent rules on European Union banks in a bid to make the region's financial system more stable.
Riksbank deputy to step down
Irma Rosenberg, the first deputy governor at the Riksbank, will leave the institution at the end of the year.
ECB glossary on payments, clearing and settlement
The European Central Bank has published a glossary of technical terms on payment, clearing and settlement systems in the EU.