Central Banking
Zhou: China's 'stable and healthy' monetary policy
People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on Tuesday 10 February that China will allow its money supply and credit loans to keep growing at an appropriate pace in 2004.
Greenspan sees vigorous growth, warns on deficit
In testimony on Wednesday 11 February, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said the U.S. economy has good odds for sustained robust growth, but that policy-makers can be patient about interest-rate rises. He warned there could be problems "in the relatively near…
Wounded Bosnia heals with NZ money policy
Want evidence that New Zealand's general approach to monetary policy works whatever the environment? In this article Peter Nicholl, governor of the central bank of Bosnia, says a main ingredient of good central bank law is operational independence and…
Jenkins on economic confidence in Canada
In a speech on 'Economic Confidence and the Work of the Bank of Canada' given on 9 February, Paul Jenkins of the Bank of Canada discusses two of the Bank's key functions that help to reinforce confidence in Canada's economy: the issuance of bank notes…
Call for new central bank rules in Syria
This article looks at what it calls the 'erratic' actions of the central bank of Syria in its interest rate setting policy. It calls for the introduction of new rules and practices into the system to regain confidence.
Argentina holds 'constructive' IMF talks
Argentina's Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna described talks with IMF chief Horst Koehler on Monday as constructive but said there was no change in its offer to repay its defaulted debt at 25 cents on the dollar.
RBI governor to lead market surveillance panel
The Reserve Bank of India has formed a high power committee headed by the governor for integrated market surveillance and alert systems. The committee is to strengthen market supervision and monitoring.
Euro rate not major target for ECB says Issing
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said that the euro foreign exchange rate is not a major target of the ECB's monetary policy strategies but does play an important role in the assessment of price risk.
Russia not to vary currency policy after G7 meet
Russian Central Bank First Deputy Chairman Oleg Vyugin said on Monday 9 February that the bank saw no reason to change its currency policy following last weekend's Florida meeting of the Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors.
Diplomatic fudge will not get best people for ECB
This article considers who will replace Eugenio Domingo Solans on the ECB's Executive Board. His successor must be chosen on the basis of competence only, it says, but warns that "horse trading" could be a more important factor in the choice.
Interview with Czech National Bank's Zdenek Tuma
In excerpts from an interview from the February issue of Central Banking journal, published Monday February 9, the governor of the Czech National Bank discusses his concerns for the process and timing of joining the euro and outlines how he sees European…
RBA Statement on Monetary Policy, February 2004
The Reserve Bank of Australia released its February 2004 Statement on Monetary Policy on 9 February. The report painted a positive picture of domestic and global growth but said that while inflation is currently tailing off, it is likely to rise next…
Singapore's unique monetary policy
This IMF Working Paper looks at the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the way it conducts monetary policy. Instead of relying on short-term interest rates or monetary aggregates as its monetary policy instrument it conducts policy by managing the trade…
Bank of Japan Monthly Report, February 2004
The Bank of Japan published the English version of its February 2004 Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments on 9 February. In its report the BOJ upgraded its view of Japanese exports, saying they were "increasing substantially." It…
Currency volatility a growth risk says G7
Exchange rates should be flexible and avoid excess volatility, the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations said at the weekend.
PBC rejects renminbi revaluation talk
An official at the People's Bank of China has refuted speculation in local media that it may be planning to revalue the renminbi this coming March, allowing China's currency to rise by 5% against the U.S. dollar.
CNB's Tuma sees higher inflation this year
Czech inflation will tick higher this year due to changes in the value added tax agreed by the ruling coalition last week, Central Bank Governor Zdenek Tuma said on Sunday 8 February.
Forex curbs staying in Venezuela, but may be eased
Venezuela will keep its year-old currency controls in place, boosting its foreign reserves, but the government will try to make them more flexible, President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday 8 February.
Central bank chiefs open Hong Kong meeting
Central bank governors began a two-day meeting in Hong Kong Sunday to exchange views on the latest global economic and financial situation as well as exchange rates regimes and plans to combat terrorist financing in the region.
Brazil's Meirelles scotches resignation rumours
Rumours originating in New York this week suggested that Brazilian central bank president Henrique Meirelles was about to resign.
Brash fires Maori MP who criticised his speech
Last week we reported New Zealand National Party Maori MP Georgina te Heuheu's criticism of "Maori bashing" in a speech made by the party's leader, and former governor of the RBNZ, Don Brash. But Brash defended his speech and this week fired the MP.
Ireland names candidate for ECB position
Ireland's Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy proposed Michael Tutty this week as the country's nominated candidate to sit on the Executive Board of the European Central Bank.
Coin chaos in Vietnam as children eat them
The State Bank of Vietnam's recent issue of three new coins turned to disaster when children started eating them after mistaking them for sweets.
Macfarlane's credit card bill rumpus
Australia's newspapers went into overdrive this week after one was able to obtain RBA governor Ian Macfarlane's American Express statements under a "Freedom of Information request". The bank was forced to defend Macfarlane's $249,000 credit card bill,…