Central Banking
Elements of optimal monetary policy design
This International Monetary Fund Working Paper reviews the relevant economics and social psychology literatures with a view to providing some insights into the question of optimal monetary policy committee design.
Thailand discovers fury of investors scorned
In 24 hours the Bank of Thailand has raised the threat of more widespread use of monetary shock therapy in Asia, according to this article by Bloomberg published Wednesday 20 December.
BoE committee voted unanimously to hold rates
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to hold its key repo rate unchanged at a five-year high of 5.00, minutes released Wednesday 20 December showed.
IMF's Kato on communications
In the speech 'Enhancing macroeconomic policies through communications' given on 18 December Takatoshi Kato of the IMF said the world economy has now seen several years of strong growth.
Review possible on GCC union deadline
Saudi Arabia's finance minister said Tuesday 19 December in an interview with Reuters the GCC states may have to review the 2010 target date for introducing the single currency after Oman's decision to miss the deadline.
Sharp FX moves not in global interest - Trichet
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Wednesday 20 December that sharp and abrupt moves in currencies would not be in the interests of Europe, the US or the global economy.
NBP holds rates steady
The National Bank of Poland kept interest rates unchanged Wednesday 20 December, as widely expected, despite strong economic growth.
Malaysia says won't impose capital controls
Malaysia does not intend to adopt a similar stance as Thailand by imposing capital controls, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday 20 December.
Central Bank of Kuwait - Annual Report 2005-2006
According to the Central Bank of Kuwait's Annual Report 2005-2006, the CBK continued its efforts aimed at boosting competition among the banking and financial system units during the fiscal year, by allowing foreign banks to open branches in the State of…
Roth on seventy years after the gold standard
In the speech 'Seventy years after - the final collapse of the gold standard in September 1936' given on 15 December Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said the Swiss like to remember that their currency has only been devalued once since its…
NBP's Rybinski on global imbalances
In the speech 'Global imbalances and implications for emerging markets' given on 15 December Krzysztof Rybinski of the National Bank of Poland said an upcoming US slowdown would likely further increase excess saving and lower valuations of US equities…
berg: The Riksbank and wage bargaining
In the speech 'The Riksbank and the wage bargaining rounds' given on 18 December Svante berg of the Sveriges Riksbank said most indications are that we can look forward to wage bargaining rounds in 2007 that are compatible with continued good economic…
ECB report on accounting standards
The European Central Bank (ECB) on 19 December published a report entitled "Assessment of accounting standards from a financial stability perspective" prepared by the ESCB Banking Supervision Committee.
Central banks and bubbles: Prevention or cure?
This article published Friday 15 December by Rediff News asks whether it's the Reserve Bank of India's job to go around pricking asset price bubbles.
Central banks sign MoU on financial crises
An agreement entitled "Memorandum of Understanding on Management of a financial crisis in banks with cross-border subsidiaries or branches" was signed in Stockholm Monday 18 December by the central banks of Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
BoJ's Fukui says prices, spending weaker
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said Tuesday 19 December that the consumer price index and private consumption have recently been weaker than the BoJ had thought a few months earlier.
BOK's Rhee says won to fall v dollar in 2007
South Korea's won ``has peaked'' according to a Bank of Korea official, and is poised to weaken versus the dollar in 2007.
Thailand reconsiders baht policy
Foreign investors bailed out of the Thai stock market in droves Tuesday 19 December, forcing Thailand's military government to go back on comments that it would not abandon just-announced measures aimed at stemming the country's surging currency.
Confidence in German economy high
Strong global demand for Germany's manufacturing exports has pushed business confidence in Europe's biggest economy to its highest level since the country was reunified at the start of the 1990s, the Ifo institute announced Tuesday 19 December.
Wellink on goals and strategies of Basel
In the speech 'Goals and strategies of the Basel Committee' given on 11 December Nout Wellink of the Netherlands Bank and Chairman of the Basel Committee said the Basel Committee's goals are to provide a forum for information sharing, to promote…
Fischer on the openness of Israel's economy
In the speech 'The openness of Israel's economy to the global economy and the importance of Israel's joining the OECD' given on 11 December Stanley Fischer of the Bank of Israel said membership of the OECD would promote Israel's position in the important…
SNB's Roth on recent economic developments
In the speech 'Recent economic and financial developments in Switzerland' given on 14 December Jean-Pierre Roth of the Swiss National Bank said the economic situation in Switzerland has continued to improve.
Deutsche Bundesbank Monthly Report, November 2006
The Deutsche Bundesbank published the English version of its November 2006 Monthly Report on Thursday 14 December. The report said euro- zone interest rates are still very low and inflation risks persist despite a recent drop in the inflation rate.
Sveriges Riksbank Economic Review 3rd Quarter 2006
The Sveriges Riksbank published its Economic Review for the 3rd Quarter 2006 on Monday 18 December. The latest edition includes the article "Who is paying for the IMF?."