Central Banking
The continuing rise of the kiwi
The New Zealand dollar continues its rapid rise on perceptions that the central bank will be unable to stem a rally powered by Japanese investors looking for higher yields. The currency rose to its highest level in 22 years on 25 June.
FSA's hedge fund supremo changes sides
The British Financial Services Authority has seen a number of its senior regulators leaving to join the ranks of the regulated, and the latest is Chris Rexworthy, who was responsible for setting up the Authority's hedge fund practice.
BIS annual report 2006-07
New board members and nearly a billion dollars in profit were among the highlights of this year's report from Basel.
Bank of Mexico keeps interest rate on hold
The Bank of Mexico, the country's central bank, held its overnight lending rate at 7.25% on 22 June, after a larger than expected fall in consumer prices in May.
The international role of the euro
This report from the ECB charts the rise in use of the single currency as a reserve asset, for trade invoicing, in bank deposits and as a parallel currency.
Bank of Israel - reserves report
The annual report of the Foreign Currency Department describes and analyses changes in the level of Israel's foreign exchange reserves, developments in their management, liquidity, rate of return and the risks to which the reserves portfolio is exposed.
Tight monetary policy in Sri Lanka pays off
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced on 25 June that rates will remained unchanged at 10.5%. The central bank also published its regular review of monetary policy on 25 June, noting that improvements in the external and monetary sectors of the economy…
"Whitening effect" changes Hungary's thinking
In a surprise move the National Bank of Hungary cut its benchmark interest rate on 25 June. Rates remain the highest in the European Union, despite the 25 basis point cut which took them to 7.75%. It was the first rate change in Hungary since October…
Geithner on lessons from the Asian crisis
That crisis countries had fixed but adjustable pegs, was one of the main lessons Tim Geithner, the president of the New York fed, highlighted ned in a recent speech.
Target2 progress report
With all the hype surrounding the ECB's T2S, it is easy to forget that the launch of the Single Shared Platform (SSP) for the Target2 payments system is less than five months away.
Bank of Mozambique - annual report
Among the highlights of 2006, Mozambique's central bank we began the process of establishing agencies of throughout the country in order to ensure the supply of banknotes and coins closer to commercial banks.
BoE's governor blames banks for £5 note shortage
Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, criticised the short supply of "fivers" in his annual Mansion House speech on 20 June.
Credit mis-pricing in India creates risks
Mis-pricing of credit risks by domestic bankers can both create systemic vulnerability and have implications for small borrowers, the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Rakesh Mohan, noted yesterday.
Kuwaiti institutions under fire from Parliament
Members of parliament in Kuwait launched a fierce attack on the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) and the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), saying that some of their officials were deriving personal benefit from their decisions and investments.
Angola can end this year with 10% inflation: cb
The National Bank of Angola, the country's central bank, has stated its confidence that Angola can end this year with an inflation rate of 10%, while acknowledging that structural difficulties in the economy may get in the way of achieving this…
Provinces press Canadian cb not to raise rates
Ontario was in the forefront of pressure from the Canadian provinces on Bank of Canada governor David Dodge not to raise interest rates.
Polish bank head outvoted over rate rise
The National Bank of Poland's president was on the losing side as the rate-setting committee voted 6-4 for the first rise in interest rate in three years in April, a report released today showed.
US treasury points to dangers of sovereign wealth
Clay Lowery, acting under-secretary for international affairs at the US treasury, has asked the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to compile best-practice guidelines for sovereign wealth funds.
Reaction to King's loss of MPC vote
Less of a threat to the governor's credibility and more a sign of what is to come, was the conclusion observers drew from Mervyn King being in the minority at the MPC meeting in June.
Spain's Ordonez: annual address
Speaking at the Bank of Spain's annual meeting, Miguel Fernandez Ordonez, the governor, took stock of the Spanish economy in 2006 its 13th continuous year of expansion.
Minutes of Polish monetary policy meeting
The minutes set out the committee's reasons for rejecting a quarter-point rate hike at the meeting three weeks ago, in favour maintaining the cost of borrowing at 4.25%.
National Bank of Hungary - Annual Report 2006
"In terms of inflation, 2006 was an unfavourable year," is the ominous opening to the National Bank of Hungary's assessment of 2006.
Dr Zeti on developing Islamic markets
Speaking at the Sukuk summit in London, the governor of Bank Negara Malaysia's discussed the development of Islamic capital markets in Malaysia.
Taiwan raises rates again
Taiwan's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate - the discount rate on 10-day loans to banks - by a quarter percentage point to 3.125% today.