Central Banking
Deficit triggers rumbling at Fed
George Bush's longtime honeymoon with the Federal Reserve may be ending, this article suggests. The new element is a rising concern at the Fed about the US budget deficit, which hit $413 billion in 2004; a low and declining national savings rate and…
ECB's Trichet on communication and transparency
In a speech on 'Communication, transparency and the ECB's monetary policy' given on 24 January, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said hinted that a rise in eurozone interest rates was not likely in the immediate future, despite a pick-up in inflation as a…
Hildebrand on managing the SNB's assets
In a speech on 'Developments in the international financial markets and managing the Swiss National Bank's assets' given on 16 December, Philipp Hildebrand of the Swiss National Bank said the SNB's leeway for investment has extended considerably since…
Bank of Canada, Business Outlook Survey, Winter 05
The Bank of Canada's Winter 2005 Business Outlook Survey reports that businesses remain positive about the economic outlook but less so than in the autumn survey. The appreciation of the Canadian dollar between the survey periods has heightened…
Bank of Canada keeps interest rates unchanged
The Bank of Canada announced on Tuesday 25 January that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 2 1/2 per cent. The bank said the Canadian economy continues to adjust to major global developments.
BIS to hold 75th anniversary exhibition
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) announced on Tuesday 25 January that, as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations, it would hold an exhibition at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland for two weeks this year.
Japan, Thailand agree bilateral swap arrangement
The Bank of Japan, acting as the agent of the Minister of Finance of Japan, and the Bank of Thailand agreed to reach the second bilateral swap arrangement under the Chiang Mai Initiative of the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers' Process, the Bank of Japan said…
Atlanta's Guynn: cbs adding euros for 6 months
Foreign central banks have been adjusting their reserves to add euros for the past six months and the process has so far been "very smooth," Atlanta Fed president, Jack Guynn said in a speech.
BOJ deputy says deflation end may be delayed
Deputy Bank of Japan Governor Toshiro Muto has indicated in an interview that the Japanese economy may move out of deflation later than the central bank has forecasted.
Bank of Japan Minutes, 16 & 17 Dec 2004
The Bank of Japan's minutes from its 16 and 17 December Monetary Policy meeting revealed that board members see four negative side-effects of the BoJ's current super-loose credit policy.
Sweden's Bergstrom: Investment v capital export
In a speech given on 18 January, Sveriges Riksbank Deputy Governor Villy Bergstrom said in the long-term, the current declining trend in capital formation in Sweden could threaten the upturn in productivity that has been witnessed, and thereby also…
Euro area balance of payments
In introductory remarks to a press briefing at the launch of a new set of statistics on the geograhical breakdown of the euro area balance of payments and international investment position on Friday 21 January, ECB Executive Board member Jose Manuel…
NY Fed's Geithner at the NAF's 2004 Dinner
In a speech at the National Academy Foundation's 2004 Dinner given on 8 December, Timothy Geithner of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said that improving educational achievement, access to educational opportunity, and the level of public…
Trichet: Stability and growth pact needs improving
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said that some aspects of the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact need to be improved.
Indonesia's cb issues new banking regulations
Bank Indonesia is to issue eight new banking regulations on Tuesday 25 January, including relaxation of the legal lending limit and a guideline on the granting of credits to disaster-affected customers, central bank's governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said.
Inquiry into Central Bank of Iraq's missing $300m
US authorities are investigating why $US300 million in American bills was taken out of Iraq's Central Bank this month and flown to Lebanon, the American ambassador to Iraq said.
Central bankers shift funds from US to eurozone
Central banks are reducing their holdings of dollars in favour of the euro, according to a survey of 65 central banks published on Monday 24 January by Central Banking Publications.
Schroeder sees stability pact agreement in March
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and EU Council President Jean-Claude Juncker met Friday and expressed optimism that an agreement could be reached soon on reform of the stability and growth pact.
BoE's Barker on housing market and wider economy
In a speech on 'The housing market and the wider economy' given on 24 January, Kate Barker of the Bank of England said UK house prices are likely to continue falling, though the effect on consumer spending won't be as big as in the past.
Da Afghanistan Bank appoints first deputy governor
At the proposal of the governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, the central bank, and following the approval by the president Hamed Karzai, Sameollah Ebrahimi has been appointed first deputy governor of the central bank, the BBC Monitoring Service reported…
New directors for Chicago Fed
Two new members of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's board of directors were announced on 10 January, as well as one new member of the bank's Detroit Branch board. In addition, the chairmen of both boards and the Seventh District representative to…
New website speculates on World Bank top job
A new website dedicated to airing speculation on who will succeed James Wolfensohn as the next president of the World Bank is offering the rumours and gossip on who is in the running to take the job.
Venezuela's Chavez nominates Parra as BCV chief
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias has proposed economist Gaston Parra as his choice for the presidency of the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV).
Interview with Bank of Finland's Liikanen
In an interview published on Thursday 20 January, the Governor of the Bank of Finland, Erkki Liikanen, strongly defended the Stability and Growth Pact of the European Union. He expressed concern that financial discipline and budgetary restraint in the…