Central Banking
Trichet notes that inflation risks have increased
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview that the risk of rising inflation in the euro zone has increased with the recent surge in oil prices, and the ECB would reinforce its vigilance to head-off a widespread rise in prices.
PBOC adviser Yu sees inevitable yuan rise
Yu Yongding, an influential economist and adviser to the People's bank of China, said on Monday 24 October that an appreciation in the yuan was inevitable and that he expected further changes in China's currency policy.
Bernanke nominated to replace 'legend' Greenspan
US President George W. Bush on Monday 24 October nominated White House economic adviser Ben Bernanke to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Comment: Bands or point targets?
Relatively little attention is paid to issues regarding optimal institutional arrangements for inflation-targeting central banks, as the big policy debates seem to revolve more around whether or not countries should adopt the framework in the first place…
Interview with ECB's Trichet
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia this week that the ECB was committed to maintaining steady prices. "As regards our present position, I said in Athens on 6 October that the present interest rate of 2…
Gordon Brown welcomes Bank of England appointment
Following the appointment this week of Sir John Gieve to succeed Sir Andrew Large as Bank of England Deputy Governor for Financial Stability, UK Chancellor Gordon Brown said Sir John brings a wealth of experience to the job.
CBN to lose over 1,000 staff
About 1,040 staff at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lost their jobs this week following the implementation of the CBN's "Project Eagles" restructuring and re-engineering exercise.
Ivory Coast to keep BCEAO job
The president of the Ivory Coast said on Tuesday 18 October that his country will not relinquish the governorship of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).
Book by governor of Barbados cb
Dr Marian Williams, governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, has published her third book. The book contains ideas about the policies and approaches which Barbados and the Caribbean might adopt in the new global environment.
Greenspan: global giant but awkward legacy
According to this article published on Tuesday 18 October, the Fed's sway over world markets was arguably at its peak in 1998. Before both the launch of the euro and the massive reserve accumulation in Asia that has bestowed China and others with…
Russian central banker charged with taking bribe
The Moscow prosecutor's office has indicted the deputy chief of the Federal Tax Service lending institutions department and a Russian central bank official for large-scale bribery, according to Interfax and other reports this week.
Politicians walk out on Fazio testimony
Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio faced another snub on Tuesday 18 October when centre-left opposition party members walked out of a parliamentary hearing where he was speaking about Italy's 2006 budget.
Comment: FX interventions
Most central banks have moved away from actual foreign exchange market interventions and now use communication, or verbal intervention, as a policy instrument to influence exchange rates when deemed necessary and desirable.
Bank of Canada Monetary Policy Report, Oct 2005
The Bank of Canada released its October 2005 Monetary Policy Report on 20 October. The latest report says the global and Canadian economies have continued to grow at a solid pace, and the Canadian economy now appears to be operating at full production…
Greenspan isn't signaling rate-increase pause
According to this article published on Thursday 20 October, when Alan Greenspan told business executives in Tokyo this week that from now on "the recent surge in energy prices will undoubtedly be a drag" on economic growth, he wasn't signaling a pause in…
McCreevy on financial regulation and integration
In the speech 'Financial regulation, integration and competitiveness' given on 17 October Charlie McCreevy of the Central Bank of Ireland said that the supervisory approval process for financial sector acquisitions in many member states is often long,…
NY Fed Staff Paper on Treasury securities
The U.S. Treasury announced in August 2005 that it is exploring whether to provide a backstop securities lending facility for U.S. Treasury securities. The New York Fed Staff Paper "Why is the U.S. Treasury contemplating becoming a lender of last resort…
Fed's Lacker: interest rates after Greenspan
In the speech 'Interest rate policy after Greenspan' given on 20 October Jeffrey Lacker of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said the U.S. central bank would respond to economic developments as needed to preserve its credibility as an inflation…
Fed's Pianalto: Economic conditions, mon. policy
In the speech 'Economic conditions and monetary policy' given on 19 October Sandra Pianalto of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland said the Federal Reserve should keep raising interest rates, but how high will be determined by U.S. inflation and growth.
OECD Working Group on Bribery concerned by Czechs
The OECD Working Group on Bribery issued a letter on Friday 21 October to the Czech authorities, outlining its serious concerns on the failure by the Czech Republic to comply with its international obligations.
Issing hints at ECB rate rise
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said on Friday 21 October that inflation prospects in the Eurozone are worrisome and the outlook for interest rates is uncertain.
Zimbabwe plans new currency
Zimbabwe will have a new currency next year, the central bank governor announced on Thursday 20 October , the Zimbabwe Observor reports.
Rato urges caution as global rates set to rise
IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato said on Thursday 20 October that global interest rates are set to rise and investors must take that into account.
Muto says BOJ to keep ultra-loose policy
Bank of Japan (BoJ) Deputy Governor Toshiro Muto said on Friday 21 October that the central bank will continue to help the resurgent economy by keeping its super-loose monetary policy.