Central Banking
Brazil extends inflation target of 4.5% to 2009
The National Monetary Council of Brazil has extended the central bank's annual inflation target of 4.5% to 2009, which it says will provide policymakers with the "flexibility" to deal with unexpected price increases.
Inflationary pressures building - Fund
Inflationary pressures are "definitely building up" according to Simon Johnson, economic counsellor and director of research with the International Monetary Fund.
IMF worried about wealth fund obscurity
The International Monetary Fund has added its voice to the growing number of international financial institutions and public policy entities calling for greater transparency in the activities of sovereign wealth funds.
ECB independence not in question - Juncker
Jean-Claude Juncker, the president and minister of finance of Luxembourg, said on 27 June that the finance ministers of the eurozone do not question the independence of the ECB.
BoE annual report
The Bank of England (BoE) published its 2007 annual report on 25 June. Highlights include a 77% rise in the bank's annual profit in the last financial year and the launch of the Adam Smith £20 note.
ECB on euro bonds and derivatives
The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a report on "The euro bonds and derivatives markets" on 26 June.
IMF: Romania Article IV consultation
The IMF on 25 June released the staff report and public information notice regarding the conclusion of its Article IV consultation with Romania. The Fund projected 7% (baseline) growth of real GDP in 2007, down from 7.7% (preliminary estimate) in 2006.
Bank of Canada: Financial System Review
The Bank of Canada published, on 21 June, the latest issue of its biennial "Financial System Review."
Slovakia keeps rates steady
All key interest rates were left unchanged by the board of the National Bank of Slovakia at its regular monthly meeting on 26 June.
Bank of Israel leaves rates unchanged
The governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, announced on 25 June that the monetary rate for July 2007 will remain unchanged at 3.5%.
Chicago Fed's National Activity Index improves
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago announced on 25 June that its gauge of the national economy, the National Activity Index, although negative in May, was stronger than it was a month ago because as a number of indicators showed an improvement.
Fed under fire in Washington over supervision
In spite of the successes of his first 16 months in office, the relations of Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, with the American Congress are deteriorating as the country's central bank is threatened with having some of its authority…
Bank of England losing economists to the City
The annual report of the Bank of England, published on 25 June, acknowledged concerns about the departure of some of the central bank's economists, seduced away from Threadneedle Street by the promise of higher pay in the financial service sector.
BIS warns on inflation and trade imbalances
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) noted in its 77th Annual Report, released on 24 June, that the performance of the global economy over the last few years has been extraordinary, raising "questions about the source and, closely related, the…
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.