Central Banking
EU to devise SWF code
The European Commission is to propose a voluntary code of conduct for sovereign wealth funds in a bid to ease fears that their investments could compromise national security interests.
US mulling sanctions for Iranian central bank
The US Treasury Department could impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran after allegations emerged that the institution is helping the country's banks avoid American sanctions.
London calling for Czech governor Tuma?
The Czech government has nominated Zdenek Tuma, the governor of the Czech National Bank, to become the next president of the London-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Prices force China to stick with policy stance
A top Chinese central banker confirmed that the People's Bank's monetary policy stance will remain tight after inflation hit a fresh 11-year high.
Fed's Fisher warns on inflation expectations
Richard Fisher, the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve, has said that the Fed must be careful to avoid "stirring the embers of inflation".
Japan's Fukui on Islamic finance issues
The boom in Islamic finance raises many questions, said Toshihiko Fukui, the governor of the Bank of Japan.
FDIC's Bair calls for mortgage transparency
Sheila Bair, the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the body responsible for deposit insurance in the US, has called for a return to common sense and back-to-basics lending standards.
IMF finds formula for trade-shock recovery
Real exchange rate depreciation, along with improvements in government stability and the institutional environment can lead to a speedy recovery from terms-of-trade shocks, research published by the International Monetary Fund finds.
State Bank of Pakistan - Annual Report 2006-2007
The State Bank of Pakistan has changed the formulation, management and conduct of monetary policy over the last 12 months.
SWF round-up
The march of sovereign wealth funds on Western financial institutions continued this week with the announcement the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will buy a stake in Credit Suisse, a Swiss bank.
New Czech vice governor appointed
Mojmir Hampl, a board member of the Czech National Bank, has been named as vice-governor of the central bank.
New role for SARB in monitoring capital flows
A further relaxation in South Africa's exchange controls, announced this week, will change the South African Reserve Bank's role in overseeing capital flows.
Muto: a governor-in-waiting?
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to nominate Toshiro Muto as the next governor of the Bank of Japan. But opposition leaders continue to resist his nomination.
Number of euro counterfeits rise
The number of counterfeited euro banknotes in the second half of 2007 shows an increase when compared to the two preceding half-year periods.
Sentance warns of slowdown
Andrew Sentance, a member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, has warned of the possibility of a "more significant and sustained" slowdown than those of the recent past.
New Canadian governor on globalisation
In this speech - his first as governor of the Bank of Canada - Mark Carney links the dramatic increase in highly structured credit products with emerging-market economies' role as exporters of capital.
Assessing Australian asset-backed commercial paper
The reason for the superior performance of the Australian asset-backed commercial paper market compared with the United States lies in the specification of conduits, a Reserve Bank of Australia paper finds.
Caribbean budgets need disaster insurance
The natural-disaster-prone economies of the Caribbean need insurance to reduce the vulnerability of their public finances and improve debt sustainability, a new IMF working paper says.
Stagflation problem for the Fed?
The Federal Reserve faces a problem that the United States has not seen for many years: stagflation.
Singapore minister slams SWF "backlash"
Goh Chok Tong, a senior Singapore minister and chairman of the country's central bank, said that arguments against sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are driven a by "nationalistic backlash".
Colombian central bank enters market again
In efforts to reduce fluctuations in the value of the peso, Colombia's central bank has sold dollar put options for the second time this year.
Philippines looks to end special vehicles
The central bank in the Philippines is seeking to draw a line under special purpose investment vehicles that are a legacy of the Asian financial crisis that erupted more than a decade ago.
Zimbabwe officially enters hyperinflation
The latest inflation numbers in Zimbabwe confirm that the country has entered into hyperinflation.
Basel Committee report on liquidity risks
A new paper from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision market developments that affect liquidity risk management and discusses national supervisory regimes.