Central Banking
Trichet says euro zone growth around 2%
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview to be published Thursday 16 March that survey data suggests the euro zone economy will grow at its potential rate of around 2 pct.
Fed's Bernanke 'concerned' over budget deficit
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said he was concerned about the U.S. budget deficit, noting in a letter released Tuesday 14 March that an aging population is going to increase pressure on the budget.
Rato sees world growth beating IMF forecast
According to the International Monetary Fund's managing director, world economic growth this year will exceed the current forecast of 4.3 percent thanks to a recovery in Europe and Japan.
BoJ's Muto says price range is not target
Bank of Japan deputy governor Toshiro Muto said on Wednesday 15 March that although the BoJ has a price stability range of between 0-2 percent rises in consumer prices, this does not mean the central bank will keep rates at zero until inflation tops that…
Comment: Yellen's 'long-run' inflation target
San Francisco Fed president, Janet Yellen, who has emerged as one of Ben Bernanke's strongest allies in the inflation targeting debate at the Fed, provided further insights into what she regards as the optimal design of such a framework in a speech on…
Japan's Abe wants BoJ zero rate to stay
Shinzo Abe has urged the Bank of Japan to keep interest rates at almost zero per cent until the economy has fully emerged from deflation. Meanwhile, Kaoru Yosano also said on Wednesday 15 March that there is no gap between the government and the BoJ in…
Polish finance minister defends NBP
I was, am and will be for an independent central bank, Polish Finance Minister Zyta Gilowska announced on Tuesday 14 March in Brussels, according to the PAP News Agency, when asked about recent political controversies around the Polish central bank (NBP).
Central Bank of Nicaragua - Annual Report 2000
According to the Central Bank of Nicaragua's Annual Report 2000, Nicaragua's economy was dominated by adverse external shocks during the year.
Market of foreign exchange hedge in Brazil
The IBMEC Economics Discussion Paper "The market of foreign exchange hedge in Brazil: Reactions of financial institutions to interventions of the central bank" says that between 1999 and 2002, Brazil's central bank sold expressive amounts of dollar…
Chicago Fed's Moskow on the US economic outlook
In the speech 'U.S. economic outlook' given on 7 March Michael Moskow of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said U.S. interest rates are currently in a neutral range but more increases may be needed.
Excess liquidity clinches case for ECB rate rises
According to this recent article, several factors, including a lack of dissenting voices on the ECB Governing Council, have persuaded financial markets in recent days that the ECB is heading faster than previously expected toward an interest rate of 3…
Hannoun: Internationalisation of financial service
In the speech 'Internationalisation of financial services: implications and challenges for central banks' given on 4 March (published 13 March) Herve Hannoun of the BIS said there is a dual challenge for central banks in the context of financial…
RBA's Lowe on the payments system
In the speech 'The evolution and regulation of the payments system' given on 14 March Philip Lowe of the Reserve Bank of Australia said the global shift towards electronic payments was being driven by advances in technology and the lower cost of…
EU's Almunia backs NBP independence
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia strongly supported the independence of the Polish central bank.
BoJ minutes show two opposed target
Two of the Bank of Japan's nine board members in January opposed disclosing the bank's target for stable prices, according to minutes of the board's Jan. 19-20 policy meeting released in Tokyo.
Bank of Japan to revamp its website
With the aim of further enhancing web site usability, the Bank of Japan said on Tuesday 14 March it will renew its website effective from March 20, 2006.
NY Fed welcomes derivatives commitments
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said on Monday 13 March it welcomes the new commitments by 14 major market participants to continue their progress toward improving the infrastructure that supports the credit derivatives markets.
Basci named acting central bank governor
Turkey's central bank vice governor Erdem Basci has been appointed acting governor of the institution, following the end of Sureyya Serdengecti's term as governor, Turkish Daily News reported.
China's Premier rules out sudden yuan move
China's Premier Wen Jiabao has ruled out a sudden revaluation of the yuan, telling parliament that the country will let the market determine currency rates.
Comment: Serdengecti ousted
The governor of the Central Bank of Turkey, Sureyya Serdengecti's, five year term expired on Tuesday, 14 March and he will not be reappointed. The government is yet to name a replacement, but vice governor, Erdem Basci, appears the most likely candidate.
Central Bank of Nigeria - Annual Report 2004
According to the Central Bank of Nigeria's Annual Report 2004, the performance of the external sector improved significantly as the overall balance of payments position swung from a deficit in 2003, to a surplus in 2004.
A dynamic model of central bank intervention
This January 2005 Working Paper from the Central Bank of Turkey examines central bank intervention in foreign exchange markets using a dynamic censored regression model.
NY Fed's Geithner on U.S. monetary policy
In the speech 'U.S. monetary policy in the global financial environment' given on 9 March Timothy Geithner of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said U.S. monetary policy may need to be tightened sufficiently to offset the downward pull on interest…
Confidence in Rome won't be rebuilt in a day
While the Bank of Italy seemed to have become an autocracy under Antonio Fazio, according to this recent article, governance will have to be a priority for the new governor, Mario Draghi.