Central Banking
Korea holds rates at highest level for six years
The Bank of Korea's rate-setting board decided to leave its benchmark rate at a six-year high of 5% on Thursday.
Can rainy-day funds make a difference in Europe?
The Bank of Italy has published a paper looking at whether rainy-day funds, which US states (who usually have to balance their budgets) use to limit procyclical fiscal policies, have a role to play in European fiscal policy.
Zoellick wants "inclusive" globalisation
Robert Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, set out his plans for the strategic direction of the Bank on Wednesday to mark his first 100 days in charge.
Kroszner on the role of the Fed
Randall Kroszner, a member of the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, listed the central bank's responsibilities with regard to monetary policy, supervision and consumer protection in a speech on Thursday.
National Bank of Moldova - Annual Report 2006
Moldova's economy grew relatively slowly in 2006. GDP increased by 4%, in comparison with 7.5% in 2005 and 7.4% in 2004.
UK regulators launch reform paper
Alistair Darling, the UK chancellor of the exchequer, announced on Thursday the publication of a banking reform discussion paper, written by the Treasury, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Bank of England.
Private sector urges cooperation on rulemaking
The Institute of International Finance (IIF), a global association of finance institutions, called for central bankers and finance ministries to ensure that the regulatory response to the current crisis complements reforms pursued by the private sector.
Japan holds rates at 0.5%
The Bank of Japan's rate-setting committee voted eight to one in favour of maintaining their benchmark rate at about 0.5% on Thursday.
South Africa hikes rates by 50 basis points
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) surprised markets on Thursday, pushing its benchmark rate up by half a percentage point to 10.5%.
Singapore continues currency appreciation
The Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Thursday that it would continue to strengthen the value of the Singapore dollar relative to its US counterpart.
UK financial sanctions: shift in responsibility
Responsibility for financial sanctions is being transferred from the Bank of England to the Treasury on 24 October.
Colombia's Uribe highlights new challenges
The integration of Colombia into the global economy has presented two policy challenges, says Jose Dario Uribe, the governor of the Banco de la Republica, Colombia.
ECB paints rosy picture for the future
Though the banking crisis has caused uncertainty, the eurozone looks set to continue growing in the medium term, according to the latest edition of the European Central Bank's (ECB) Monthly Bulletin.
Turmoil not likely to hamper growth, says Mboweni
South Africa's economy will continue to prosper in spite of the recent global banking crisis because of its favourable macroeconomic position, said Tito Mboweni, the governor of the South African Reserve Bank.
Differing results on investment adjustment costs
A Bank of England paper evaluating the costs of changes in investment shows the elasticity of investment with respect to the shadow price of capital (the value to the firm of one additional unit of capital) to be 15 times larger than aggregate models…
Crisis shows why we need Basel II, says Committee
The recent banking crisis has underlined the importance of Basel II implementation, according to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
Fed unanimously supported 50 basis point cut
All ten members of rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) were in favour of 50 basis point cut, the minutes of the 18 September meeting reveal.
Latin America set to escape worst of turmoil
Rodrigo de Rato, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), expects Latin America to avoid most of the effects of the recent financial turmoil, though its economy may be hampered by the aftermath.
King names lessons learned from crisis
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, said on Tuesday he had identified three lessons, so far, from the banking crisis.
Sales remain within Gold Agreement Limit
Gold sales by the 16 signatories to the Central Bank Gold Agreement between 27 September 2006 and 26 September 2007 amounted to 475.75 tonnes, 24.25 tonnes shy of the 500 limit, the Bank for International Settlements said on Wednesday.
Instability fundamentals have weathered revolution
The financial fundamentals that hold the key to the dynamics of instability remain despite three decades-worth of structural change in the system, according to research published by the Bank for International Settlements.
Uribe charts Colombia's progress
Bilateral trade agreements are allowing Colombia to profit more from globalisation, according to Jose Dario Uribe, the governor of the Banco de la Republica, Colombia.
Speed up on SEPA: ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell
Banks need to step up their efforts if they are to be prepared for the launch of the Single European Payments Area (SEPA) on 1 January next year, according to Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, a member of the executive board of the European Central Bank.
Volatility will continue to fall - IMF
Output volatility is likely to fall in the years ahead, according to the latest edition of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) World Economic Outlook.