Central Banking
We've got money to burn: Hungary
The National Bank of Hungary is offering bricks made up of its cancelled banknotes for charities to burn for fuel.
Korea unexpectedly raises rates
The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark rate to an eight-year high on Thursday in a surprise move.
Bank of England holds
The Bank of England left its benchmark rate at 5% on Thursday.
ECB hints at rate pause for coming months
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), indicated on Thursday that eurozone rates were now high enough to bring inflation back to target.
Serbia's Jelasic: more e-payments competition
The National Bank of Serbia wants to strengthen competition in payment transactions by supporting non-bank institutions, such as mobile operators, said Radovan Jelasic, the governor of the central bank.
HKMA: China should step up tightening
The increase in headline inflation in mainland China calls for additional monetary tightening measures, said Hans Genberg, an executive director of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
GCC inflation is imported
Inflation rates in trading partners are the main driver of price pressures in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, finds a new paper from the International Monetary Fund.
Peru to be an economic success story
The probability that Peru becomes an economic success story in the next ten years is very high, says a new paper from the Central Bank of Peru.
Philippines' Tetangco praises microfinance
Microfinance is no longer a "mere buzzword" but part of the financial mainstream, said Amando Tetangco, the governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines.
Monetary transmission - markets compared
Monetary transmission mechanisms in emerging markets work with a shorter time lag than those in developed countries, according to a new research from the International Monetary Fund.
Bank's risk forecasts not effective
The Bank of England's risk forecasts for inflation do not perform well, finds new research from the Deutsche Bundesbank.
Bankruptcy delays foreclosure
Filing for personal bankruptcy adds a little over a year to a foreclosure process, finds a new paper from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve.
Europe the best-regulated region: IMF
European authorities lead the world in regulation, says new research published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysts split on FOMC outlook
The decision to hold rates at 2% was widely expected, but the Federal Open Market Committee's post-meeting statement has divided Fed watchers.
US should follow IMF's lead on SWFs
US lawmakers heading a working group on sovereign wealth funds have deemed the International Monetary Fund, not the US Congress, the appropriate forum for addressing funds' transparency and accountability.
Nigeria presses banks to post loan costs
The Central Bank of Nigeria is enhancing transparency for the country's consumers by requiring banks to disclose their loan costs and deposit rates on the internet.
Corrigan report calls for risk overhaul
A study group headed by Gerry Corrigan, a former New York Fed chief, has urged all major financial institutions to make wide-ranging and far-reaching changes to the way they handle risk.
Papua New Guinea: monetary tightening ahead
The Bank of Papua New Guinea will adopt a tightening monetary policy stance for the remainder of 2008, according to the central bank's latest monetary policy statement.
RBI: financial inclusion crucial
Financial inclusion is the biggest challenge facing India's banking industry and the Reserve Bank of India, said Vittaldas Leeladhar, a deputy governor at the central bank.
Asset shortages lead to bubbles
High asset-price volatility may be a natural consequence of asset shortages, finds a new paper from the Bank of Spain.
New Jersey fifth in mortgage foreclosures
New Jersey ranks fifth among states for the proportion of subprime mortgages in foreclosure, finds a new article from the New York Federal Reserve.
Fed appoints community banker to governor role
The Federal Reserve's governing board is now just one member short after Elizabeth Duke, a community banker, was sworn in on Monday.
Rock's Bank loan to be transferred to Treasury
British mortgage lender Northern Rock's £17.5 billion-worth ($34.2 billion) of Bank of England debt will be passed on to the Treasury, it emerged Tuesday.
RBA holds but hints cut to come soon
The Reserve Bank of Australia kept rates at a 12-year high for the fifth-straight month on Tuesday but suggested that it could soon lower borrowing costs.