Central Banking
Barbados' Williams praises finance industry
The performance of the domestic financial sector in Barbados over the past 25 years has been nothing short of spectacular, said Marion Williams, the governor of the Central Bank of Barbados.
Euro expectations stabilise currencies
Relatively stable market expectations for euro-locking rates have fixed the exchange rates of three central European currencies, research published by the National Bank of Hungary finds.
Malawi's Mbewe advises on building market links
Successful cross-border financial market link-ups require the harmonisation of foreign exchange controls, regulation and tax frameworks, said Victor Mbewe, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi.
GIC set to contribute to bank rescue fund
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, a sovereign wealth fund, could become the lead investor in a $6 billion fund set up to invest in troubled banks.
Chances of big cut diminish on Bernanke testimony
Market predictions of another cut to the federal funds rate of at least 50 basis points looked far from certain, following comments from Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve.
US Treasury warns SWF rules could cause backlash
David McCormick, the US Treasury's undersecretary for foreign affairs, has said that rules forcing sovereign wealth funds to be more transparent could backfire.
Iceland holds rates at 13.75%
The Central Bank of Iceland has kept rates at 13.75% in spite of a poorer inflation outlook.
Korea keeps rates at 5%
The Bank of Korea opted to hold rates for the sixth straight month in the face of rising inflation.
ECB bulletin notes downside risks
The European Central Bank's latest Monthly Bulletin details the downside risks to eurozone growth fully confirmed earlier in February.
Bulgaria's Manchev supports labour reform
Tsvetan Manchev, a deputy governor at the Bulgarian National Bank, has praised measures aimed at boosting employment.
Convergence rules best route to euro-adoption
The structured convergence process towards euro adoption provides the best guarantee for a smooth inclusion and a mutually beneficial life in the monetary union, Jurgen Stark, a member of the European Central Bank's executive board, said.
Serbia's Jelasic blames media for misery
Much of the Serbian people's discontent regarding the speed of societal change is media-shaped, said Radovan Jelasic, the governor of the National Bank of Serbia.
IMF head wants harmonisation of collateral rules
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has called on central banks to coordinate policy on open-market operations.
Riksbank surprises markets with rate hike
The Riksbank confounded expectations on Wednesday by hiking rates to 4.25%.
Old Lady stays cautious in latest Inflation Report
The Bank of England maintained its delicate balancing act between emphasising the upside risks to inflation and signalling that it still has room to cut rates in its latest Inflation Report, published Wednesday 13 February.
Emerging markets set to suffer, says IMF head
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has said that the turmoil in the US subprime market will affect emerging market growth.
Philippines's Tetangco warns on inflation risks
Prospects of further rate cuts in the Philippines dimmed after Amando Tetangco, the governor of the central bank, highlighted risks to the inflation outlook.
ECB's Trichet reaffirms price stability commitment
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), explained the thinking behind the eurozone lender's recent policy decision and shift in stance.
Instability calls for a sharper eye on markets
Financial instability requires monetary-policy-makers to rely on different data and communication strategies, Christian Noyer, the governor of the Banque de France said.
Research has a role in stability: ECB's Papademos
Economic research can make an important contribution to strengthening the resilience of the financial system, said Lucas Papademos, the vice president of the European Central Bank.
Policy forecasts don't damage markets
Central bank guidance about, or explicit forecasts of, likely future policy rates does not impair market functioning, research published by the Bank for International Settlements suggests.
Poole outlines problems of predicting Fed rates
Attempts by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) to provide forward guidance in the policy statement cause more communications difficulties than they solve, says William Poole, the president of the St Louis Federal Reserve.
Slow growth but no recession, says Fed's Yellen
The US economy will not fall into recession this year, said Janet Yellen, the president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve.
Rural banking trends disrupted by changes
The relationship between traditional measures of market concentration and performance in the United States banking sector is changing in small, isolated, rural markets, research by the Kansas City Fed finds.