Central Banking
Comment: Why Foreign Reserve Portfolios Matter
What do recent trends in official reserve management imply for foreign exchange markets and the conduct and coordination of monetary policy across the globe?
Argentina rebuilds
A re-equipped central bank is able to tackle mounting inflationary pressures in Argentina as the economy prospers, explains Martin redrado
Fazio should be forced out of the Bank of Italy
According to this article published on Monday 15 August, Antonio Fazio has tossed aside the few strict principles a central banker must follow. He has become an embarrassment, it says, and there is now no credible way he can remain in office.
RBNZ's Bollard on the New Zealand payment system
In the speech 'New Zealand payment system' given on 11 August Alan Bollard of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said the RBNZ is making protection of New Zealand's $41 billion-a-day payments system its leading priority.
MAS's Shanmugaratnam on money-changing businesses
In a speech given on 15 August Tharman Shanmugaratnam of the Monetary Authority Of Singapore said the Bill expands the scope of MAS' powers to revoke or suspend a money-changer's or remittance licence to include cases where the licensee has failed to…
Why do we regulate?
This article looks at the need to regulate banks. It quotes a recent paper which says it is difficult to identify a sound policy reason for regulating banks. We do so because we want to, not because we must, it says.
Kansas Fed Paper on inflation targeters
The Kansas Fed Working Paper "Do we really know how inflation targeters set interest rates?" published July 2005 says under inflation targeting regimes other objectives that possibly conflict with the inflation goal are present.
India to ensure stability in forex market
India will ensure stability in the country's $12bn-a-day foreign exchange market amid surging inflows and will maintain its slow pace in opening up the capital account, a senior Reserve Bank of India official said.
PBOC says money supply growth 'suitable'
M2, the broad measure of money supply, grew 16.3 per cent year-on-year by the end of July, the People's Bank of China (PBoC) announced in Beijing Friday 12 August.
Buba report says weak growth in EU 'real' problem
The Bundesbank published its August monthly report on Monday 15 August, saying that weak economic growth in the EU is responsible for feelings of discontent with eurozone economic growth.
Ghana's Acquah: W Africa may face financial crisis
Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Paul Acquah, expressed fear at the weekend of an impending financial crisis in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Inflation view falls to 5.4% in Brazil
The average market forecast for Brazil's benchmark inflation index fell on Monday 15 August for the 13th straight week to 5.4 percent.
Comment: Output losses from financial crises
Central bankers and regulators, like other professionals, naturally spend a lot of time on the technical details of their jobs. Sometimes it is well to be reminded of just how much is at stake in their policy decisions.
Calvin Mitchell to take over New York Fed role
Calvin A. Mitchell III was named senior vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in charge of the bank's public information area on Monday 8 August.
Interview with ECB's Issing
In an interview published on Tuesday 9 August, ECB Chief Economist Otmar Issing said that recently the eurozone economy has seen a series of positive signals. However risks to the outlook remained on the downside, he said, particularly with the continued…
Bank of Korea chief pledges wealth to education
The governor of the Bank of Korea, Park Seung, said this week that he is willing to donate his personal wealth to help the nation's education when he dies.
Fed is content with size, pace of rate increases
This article published on Wednesday 10 August suggests why impatient analysts are wrong to complain that the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates too slowly.
A punch bowl made in China
China is supplying a punch bowl to keep the party going despite the Federal Reserve's best efforts, according to an article published on Wednesday 10 August. So consumers can thank Beijing and other Asian central banks for all the cheap credit, it says.
RBA's Macfarlane on the Australian economy
In a statement to the House of Representatives given on 12 August Ian Macfarlane of the Reserve Bank of Australia said that inflation was largely under control and the economy strong.
Bank of Japan Policy Board Minutes
The Bank of Japan published the minutes from its 12 and 13 July meeting on Friday 12 August. Two of nine policy board members at the Bank proposed cutting the 30-35 trln yen liquidity target for banks, at the mid-July policy meeting.
PBOC's Xiaochuan on developing capital markets
In the speech 'Improve corporate governance and develop capital market' given on 13 July, Zhou Xiaochuan of the People's Bank of China said if we hold the view that the objective of financial sector reform is to make the financial institutions stronger…
Greenspan, her art-throb
Fascinated by the Federal Reserve chairman, this article looks at the work of an artist who has completed 20 paintings and sketches of Alan Greenspan. The artist then decided to display her works at a gallery on Long Island over the summer.
Korea suggests it may hike rates
The Bank of Korea said on Thursday 11 August that it would consider increasing interest rates if the economy recovered fully.
Italian economy minister wants ECB rate cut
Italy's deputy economy minister Mario Baldassari said he favours the European Central Bank cutting its interest rates, as well as the euro being valued at parity with the dollar.