Central Banking
OECD urges caution on BOJ rate moves
The Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development warned on Thursday 20 July that the Bank of Japan should not rush further interest rate increases while there is a risk of slipping back into deflation.
Comment: Noyer takes Kroes to task
The Bank of France governor, Christian Noyer, said on 18 July that the European Commission is "playing a very dangerous game" in attempting to break open the European credit card market. How legitimate are his concerns?
Bank Al-Maghrib - Annual Report 2004
According to Bank Al-Maghrib's (the central bank of Morocco) Annual Report 2004, growth continued at a sustained rate and was stimulated, as in 2003, by domestic demand both for consumption and investment.
Federal Reserve bank pay & staffing trends
A new report from the Financial Markets Center, published Tuesday 18 July, says that the last decade has seen the Fed lose almost 20% of the jobs at its regional Reserve Banks. At the same time, it says, average pay levels have risen for the remaining…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, July 2006
The Bank of Japan published the English version of its July 2006 monthly report on Wednesday 19 July. In the report the BOJ upgraded its wording on the assessment of the nation's economy describing it as "expanding moderately."
Fed's Warsh on corporate cash balances
In the speech 'Corporate cash balances and economic activity' given on 18 July Kevin Warsh of the Federal Reserve said US companies are at last starting to borrow more and cut the cash hoards they maintained during the economic recovery, a trend that is…
Bernanke's testimony to Congress
In testimony given on 19 July Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve warned that stubbornly high inflation could harm the U.S. economy and that the U.S. central bank must guard against rising prices taking hold.
Federal Reserve's Monetary Policy Report, Jul 2006
The Federal Reserve published its July 2006 Monetary Policy Report to the Congress on Wednesday 19 July. The U.S. economy continued to expand at a brisk rate, on balance, over the first half of 2006, the report said.
Bank of England voted 7-0 to hold rates
Minutes from the Bank of England's 5 and 6 July Monetary Policy Committee meeting, published Wednesday 19 July, showed policy makers voted unanimously to keep the benchmark interest rate at 4.5 percent this month.
Upset about death of Fed watching? Come to Asia
According to this article from Bloomberg, published Wednesday 19 July, the Federal Reserve has so comprehensively demystified what it does, that anyone can become a Fed watcher.
Former RBA official supports Stevens
Former Reserve Bank of Australia board member Dick Warburton was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying that he has a lot of faith in the central bank's deputy governor Glenn Stevens.
ADB says China must tighten monetary policy
A senior Asian Development Bank official told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday 18 July that China needs to tighten its monetary policy to tackle an overheated economy and cut inefficient investment.
Spain's Ordonez pledges to support ECB
Miguel Angel Fernandez Ordonez, the new governor of the Bank of Spain, said Tuesday 18 July his central bank will continue to strengthen the support it offers the European Central Bank.
Lithuania's new PM pencils in euro for 2009-2010
Lithuania's new Prime Minister, Gediminas Kirkilas, said the country is unlikely to join the euro zone before 2009, BNS reported citing the Delfi news portal.
Comment: Bernanke focuses on risks
In his remarks following the delivery of the Fed's semi-annual monetary policy to Congress, Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, adopted an approach very much in keeping with his predecessor, Alan Greenspan. What does this mean for the Fed's inflation targeting…
National Bank of Moldova - Annual Report 2005
According to the National Bank of Moldova's Annual Report 2005, economic development of the Republic of Moldova in 2005 exhibited maintained macroeconomic stability.
Bollard on agriculture, monetary policy, economy
In the speech 'Agriculture, monetary policy and the economy' given on 18 July Alan Bollard of the RBNZ said at the moment the New Zealand economy is moving into a rebalancing period.
SARB Bank Supervision Annual Report 2005
According to the South African Reserve Bank's Bank Supervision Department Annual report 2005, during 2005, the South African banking system remained stable, and, in general, banks were sound and continued to benefit from South Africa's economic health.
St Louis Fed paper on forex intervention
This Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Working Paper "Authorities' beliefs about foreign exchange intervention: Getting back under the hood" presents the results of a survey of monetary authorities with respect to their beliefs about foreign exchange…
Fukui on developments in Japan's economy
In a speech given on 16 June (published 18 July) Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said looking forward, exports are expected to continue rising against the background of further expansion of overseas economies.
IMF paper on policy lessons from Latin America
The IMF Working Paper "Macroeconomic volatility: The policy lessons from Latin America" traces how the history of macroeconomic volatility and financial crisis over the past century has adversely impacted on growth and other development indicators.
ECB's Quaden awaits evacuation from Lebanon
Belgian national bank governor Guy Quaden, also a board member of the European Central Bank, is set to be evacuated from Lebanon by Belgian authorities, where he was on vacation, his spokeswoman was quoted by Dow Jones as saying Tuesday 18 July.
BIS Triennial Central Bank Survey 2007
The BIS announced on Monday 17 July that it will carry out its seventh triennial survey in April and June 2007, with the participation of 54 central banks and monetary authorities.
Villasante steps down from Bank of Spain
Pedro Pablo Villasante, the director of supervision at the Bank of Spain, is to be nominated secretary-general of the Spanish banking association, the AEB, El Pais reported.