Central Banking
UK's Lomax: rate hike was inflation 'insurance'
Rachel Lomax, a deputy governor at the Bank of England suggested that successive interest rate hikes by the Bank this year were akin to "buying insurance" against possible inflation spikes.
SAMA's annual report for 2005
Saudi Arabia's economy grew at 6.5% in real terms and inflation nudged up but was still less than 1% in 2005, the country's central bank notes in its annual report.
Building Asia's bond markets
The BIS in Basel has published a collection of papers by scholars, researchers, central bankers and market participants on issues and prospects in Asia's bond markets.
Room for improvement in Riksbank's monetary policy
A parliamentary report into Sweden's monetary policy says that while the Riksbank compares favourably with other central banks in terms of monetary policy, the persistent undershooting of its inflation target in recent years means there is room for…
Growth, profitability and regulation in Caribbean
Sir K. Dwight Venner, governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, set out his vision of how the Caribbean can grow through opening up capital and labour markets in the region.
UK rates have peaked - OECD
British interest rates are likely to have hit their peak according to the OECD's latest Economic Report, released on 28 November.
Canada to research inflation target
Although the Bank of Canada's inflation target will remain at 2% for the next five years, the central bank has announced a major research project on the benefits of lowering the target.
IMF ups eurozone growth forecast
The IMF's European department director, Michael Deppler, said on 28 November that the Fund has raised its eurozone growth forecast for both this year and next.
Bank of Israel cuts rates again
The Bank of Israel lowered its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points on 27 November. This second reduction in two months takes rates to 5%.
Pakistan central bank's no-show in T-bill auction
Dealers in the Pakistani interbank market reported wild swings in short-term overnight interest rates on 27 November, triggered by the central bank's rejection of treasury market bids.
Chinese growth "low quality" says vice-governor
In a candid speech, the vice governor of the People's Bank of China, Wu Xiaoling, raised some question about the sustainability of China's economic growth.
Mexico holds rates despite inflation spike
On 24 November, the Bank of Mexico held its benchmark lending rate at 7%, as expected, for a seventh straight month. The central bank also indicated that the recent increase in inflation would be temporary.
Warsaw hails ex-president of central bank as mayor
Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, the head of Poland's central bank from 1992 to 2000, is set to become the next mayor of the Polish capital Warsaw.
Explaining Fed watchers' mistakes
The authors of this ECB working paper argue that the heterogeneity in the views of private sector Fed watchers is explained by the educational employment backgrounds, as well as by where they are located.
Cautious Fukui on rates outlook
Toshihiko Fukui, the governor of the Bank of Japan, said that the central bank "will proceed with gradual rate hikes" in this speech, given on 27 August.
New payments data from CPSS
The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems published their annual statistical update of data on payments and payment systems for 2005.
Malta cb's governor says the euro is not enough
Joining the euro will help, said Michael Bonello, the governor of Malta's central bank, but this is not enough to secure faster economic growth.
Norway's pension fund snubs
The Norges Bank-managed state pension investment fund has reportedly blacklisted several large international corporations, including the world's largest retailer Wal-mart, for "alleged human rights and labour abuses."
PBoC not focused on fine-tuning - deputy
The People's Bank of China is draining excess liquidity in order to maintain the differential between domestic and international interest rates, and not to stabilise output or reduce domestic investment, says Wu Xiaoling, the vice governor of the central…
McDonough for Santander board
Banco Santander Central Hispano SA has named William J. McDonough, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as a member of its non-executive board.
Bernanke to join Paulson in China
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke will follow in the footstep of his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, by accompanying the US Treasury secretary to Beijing next month.
Malaysia holds rates as inflation moderates
As expected, Malaysia's central bank kept interest rates steady at 3.5% for the fifth meeting in a row on Friday. The central bank said lower oil and commodity prices, together with moderate domestic price and wage increases, were keeping inflation in…
Canada maintains inflation target for next 5 years
The Bank of Canada renewed its inflation target of 2%, measured as the change in the core consumer price index, with a symmetrical band of 1% either side, for the next five years.
Turkish rates stable despite high inflation
The Turkish central bank announced on 23 November that it will keep its policy rate unchanged at 17.5% and the lending rate at 22.5% after its penultimate monetary policy committee meeting for 2006.