Central Banking
BCEAO selects infrastructure management platform
The central bank of West African States (BCEAO) announced Monday it would implement HighStreet Networks Xpress(TM) to monitor and control their complete computing infrastructure.
Interview with CBBH's Peter Nicholl
After almost seven years, the mandate of the Governor of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina Peter Nicholl ended on 31 December 2004. In this interview Nicholl discusses the role of the CBBH and its development in the future, and offers advice to…
Philadelphia Fed names Assistant Vice President
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has announced the promotion of Michael Doyle to assistant vice president in the Bank's Information Technology Services Department.
Philadelphia Fed names Executive Vice President
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has also promoted Blake Prichard, its senior vice president in charge of retail payments, to the position of executive vice president.
World Bank president announces intention to retire
World Bank President Jim Wolfensohn sent a message to Yahya Alyahya, Dean of the Board of Executive Directors, on Monday 3 January. In the message he said he does not wish to be considered for a third term and intends to retire at the end of May 2005…
Dallas Fed appoints new president
Richard W. Fisher will become President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas effective from 4 April. Mr Fisher will succeed Robert McTeer, Jr., who resigned on 4 November to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.
OECD Secretary-General to step down in 2006
The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Honourable Donald J. Johnston, has advised the Member countries that he will step down from office in May 2006, having first been elected to the post in 1996.
Hong Kong's latest foreign currency reserves
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced on Friday 7 January that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$123.6 billion at the end of December 2004, up from US$121.5 billion at end-November 2004.
Statement by IMF's Rato at ASEAN Leaders' Meeting
Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement on Thursday 6 January at the high-level meeting on humanitarian relief for countries affected by the Asia tsunami disaster in Jakarta, Indonesia.
PMA chief steps down
The governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority, Amin Haddad, resigned on Wednesday 5 January , according to a Palestinian minister who was quoted in local press reports.
CBC's Perng denies being top candidate for premier
Central Bank of China (CBC) Governor Perng Fai-nan has denied rumours that he is likely to be named by Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian as the next premier.
Central Bank of China name-change plan
Taiwan's Premier Yu Shyi-kun has said that the government will continue to push a proposal to change the names of state-owned enterprises, including the Central Bank of China, to include the word "Taiwan."
Nepal urged to speed up central bank appointment
A committee of three economists set up to suggest suitable candidates as the new governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank, has urged the government to act on its recommendations. Disagreement within the government has meant no decision has yet…
ECB's framework for the detection of fake euros
The Eurosystem's terms of reference for the detection of counterfeits and fitness sorting of euro banknotes by credit institutions and other professional cash handlers was published on Thursday 6 January by the ECB.
Way cleared for Yushchenko
Ukraine's Supreme Court cleared the way on Thursday 6 January for former central bank governor Viktor Yushchenko to be inaugurated as president next week when it rejected an appeal against Mr Yushchenko's victory in the presidential election.
Fukui: A tale of two cities for a central banker
In the speech 'A tale of two cities in the eyes of a central banker' given on 6 January, Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said the BOJ has a "very firm" commitment to the market and to the general public to maintain the policy of expanding Japan's…
Bernanke: Transition from academic to policymaker
In the speech 'The transition from academic to policymaker' given on 7 January, Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve reflects on his two and a half years as an academic turned policymaker. Since moving to Washington Bernanke said he noticed that people…
Kansas Fed's Hoenig says US rates accommodative
Kansas City Federal Reserve President Thomas Hoenig said on Thursday 6 January that US interest rates remain "fairly accommodative" and are likely to help stimulate economic growth of between 3.5 and 4 percent.
More work needed on deflation, says Tanigaki
Japan's Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki told a press conference on Friday 7 January that more effort is needed to stop Japan's falling consumer prices and pledged to continue cooperating with the Bank of Japan to end deflation.
HKMA's Yam says dollar may become less popular
The dollar may become ``less popular'' as a reserve currency should record U.S. current-account and budget deficits persist, said Joseph Yam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority in an article published by the HKMA on Thursday.
Profit probably near to zero says Bundesbank
The Bundesbank said its profit was probably close to zero last year following the dollar's fall to a record low against the euro cutting the value of the central banks dollar denominated assets.
Statement by IMF's Rato ahead of Jakarta meeting
Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement on Wednesday 5 January after arriving in Jakarta, Indonesia, for a high-level meeting on humanitarian relief for countries affected by the Asia…
ECB announces public consultation on SWIFT
The European Central Bank announced on Wednesday 5 January that it was inviting the market to participate in the SWIFT public consultation on removing technical barriers to market integration.
IMF on interest-rate liberalization in China
A recently published article by two members of the IMF's China Division looks at the recent decision by the People's Bank of China to raise interest rates for the first time in nine years. The liberalization of rates is a landmark change, it says, and…