Central Banking
Inflation risk explains rate hike - Trichet
Speaking to journalists on Monday 6 March, European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said the ECB raised rates last week because of an increase in inflation risks in recent months.
Comment: BoJ to end QE this week?
Friday's inflation data has added to feverish speculation that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will end its "quantitative easing" policy later this week. However, the departure from its zero-interest rate policy is still months off and the question of the…
Fukui says BOJ at 'important phase'
The Bank of Japan is at an "important phase" in assessing whether core consumer prices are on a stable rising trend, Governor Toshihiko Fukui said Monday 6 March.
China won't cut dollar reserves - PBOC's Zhou
People's Bank of China governor Zhou Xiaochuan said in an interview that the country will not reduce its US dollar foreign exchange assets but intends to adjust the mix of its reserves.
National Bank of Poland - Annual Report 2004
According to the National Bank of Poland's Annual Report 2004, the NBP became still more open and transparent as an institution in 2004.
ECB statements and interest rate predictability
The DNB Working Paper "Is a word to the wise indeed enough? ECB statements and the predictability of interest rate decisions" shows that comments by euro area central bankers contain information on future ECB interest rate decisions, but that the…
Japan's debt straitjacket is out of style
Amid the euphoria over the end of deflation and a likely change in the Bank of Japan's policy, this recent article says it's easy to forget that Japan remains addicted to borrowed money.
Chicago Fed's Moskow on pension issues
In the speech 'The regional perspective on pension issues' given on 28 February Michael Moskow of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said the restructuring of public pension plans could require painful tax hikes or cuts in government services in some…
Fed's Kohn on regulatory relief
In testimony 'Regulatory relief' given on 1 March Donald Kohn of the Federal Reserve said the Federal Reserve will continue to be "a strong and active supporter" of legislative efforts to provide regulatory relief in the banking sector.
PBOC official says 'no timetable' on controls
China has "no timetable" for further easing of its foreign exchange controls, a state news agency quoted a senior official as saying on Friday 3 March .
Greenspan: The $7 million dollar man
Top publishers are lining up to bid on the memoirs of former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan - and the price tag could reach out-of- this-world proportions.
Sultanov elected speaker of Kyrgyz parliament
Former governor of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, Marat Sultanov, was elected Speaker of the Kyrgyz parliament on Thursday 2 March by a majority of 45 votes, Itar-Tass reported.
Fed's Olson calls for Gulf region creativity
Federal Reserve Board Governor Mark Olson said on Thursday2 March that banks in the storm-hit Gulf Coast region are going to have to come up with creative solutions in the effort to rebuild operations.
Yosano not sure to give view at BOJ meeting
Japanese economy and banking minister Kaoru Yosano said on Friday 3 March that the Bank of Japan should decide when to end its quantitative easing policy and that he wasn't sure if the government would give its view at the BOJ's upcoming meetings.
Comment: Communication and predictability
Two recent studies investigate the effects of more open communication strategies at both the Fed and the ECB on the predictability of subsequent interest rate decisions. The conclusions reached differ considerably.
Fed's Ferguson on the economic outlook for the US
In the speech 'Economic outlook for the United States' given on 3 March Roger Ferguson of the Federal Reserve said the US economy is "solidly on track" but faces risks that could alter both its path and the direction of interest-rate policy.
BOJ set to end ultra-easy policy - report
Senior Bank of Japan officials have decided to submit a proposal to end the central bank's super-loose monetary policy at next week's BOJ board meeting, two Japanese news agencies reported on Friday 3 March.
Bank of Portugal - Annual Report 2004
According to the Bank of Portugal's Annual Report 2004, the Portuguese economy resumed positive growth in 2004, albeit at a moderate pace.
Greenspan moved markets less
According to the article 'Greenspan moved markets less as Poole, Kohn gained influence' published Wednesday, new research shows former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's speeches moved the bond market less in 2005 than in prior years as William…
Monetary policy by committee: Why and how?
In this De Nederlandsche Bank Working Paper, published February 2006, Alan Blinder discusses two questions: Why have so many central banks switched from individual to group decision making, and how?
DAS: Why is CBN fooling Nigerians?
According to this article published on Monday 27 February , the various exchange rate mechanisms whether christened FEM, IFEM, AFEM, or DAS, could never claim to be truly market determined and have all without exception, eventually led to the…
West's gold vanishing in China once again
China will soon release statistics showing that it has passed Japan as the biggest holder of foreign currency the world has ever seen, according to this article published on Sunday 26 February.
RBA's Richards on 'Economy 2006'
In the speech 'Economy 2006' given on 2 March Anthony Richards of the Reserve Bank of Australia said the outlook for the economy was favourable, with above-average world growth ensuring a favourable outlook for investors and commodity producers.
Renminbi Settlement System goes live
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) jointly announced on Thursday 2 March the launch of the new Renminbi Settlement System (RSS) on 6 March 2006.