Central Banking
People: Austria nominates IMF executive director
Plus: Turkey’s former governor joins Canadian finance firm; new Bulgarian deputy nominated
Central banks in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan hold rates
Taiwan tilts hawkish, Hong Kong follows Fed and China expected to ease by 10bp this year
Interest rate crosswinds buffet IRRBB teams
Political intervention and rapid-fire law changes are skewering bank models for forecasting cashflows
ECB holds rates, predicts 2.6% inflation for 2026
Lagarde presents gloomy outlook for eurozone inflation and growth as energy prices spike
Bank of England holds rates and hints at hikes
MPC member says UK economy ‘damaged’ by energy shock as war triggers first unanimous vote since 2021
Brazil starts easing with cautious rate cut amid oil shock
BCB says Middle East conflict has intensified domestic inflation risks
SNB holds rates, vows to fight franc appreciation
Bank says short-term inflation pressures are high but will remain ‘virtually unchanged’ in medium term
BoJ holds as Middle East conflict threatens higher inflation
Ueda says Japanese firms could pass on costs ‘more aggressively’ than after start of Ukraine war
Fed holds amid uncertainty over oil shock and tariffs
Powell pledges to stay on as interim chair if Warsh’s nomination is not confirmed in Senate
CBN governor calls on EBRD to act locally in Nigeria
Cardoso points to alignment of interests between private sector and country’s subnational authorities
Canada holds rates amid potential energy shock and jobs downturn
Governor Macklem says sustained higher prices would warrant monetary response
Iceland hikes rates by 25bp
Inflation continues to rise as central bank aims to pre-empt effects of energy shock
UAE launches support programme for country’s banks
Central bank releases capital buffers and provides capital rule relief to help lenders during conflict
G+D’s Tanja Heßdörfer on the challenges of CBDC
The German company’s head of digital currency advisory discusses the key challenges surrounding digital central bank money
Indonesia holds rates and adjusts FX rules to stabilise rupiah
BI says Middle East conflict provides greater reason for fiscal-monetary policy co-ordination
Australia hikes rates to combat inflation
RBA says price rises are result of capacity pressures, and persistent oil rally may worsen situation
Fed watchers welcome court ruling on Powell
However, expert says DoJ’s appeal against decision could thwart Warsh’s confirmation as Fed chair
BIS urges central banks to look through energy price surge
Oil and gas prices up 40% and 60% respectively since Middle East conflict began
ECB says AI risk monitoring should not be a one-way street
Bank wants to exchange information on lenders’ AI model risks with market surveillance supervisors
Hélène Rey to head BIS monetary and economic department
Scholar of international monetary system will replace Hyun Song Shin later this year
RBNZ responds to lenders’ concerns over cash proposal
Bank acknowledges industry view that prior consultation was lacking
HKMA deputy says credit risks to remain ‘complex’ in 2026
Yuen notes continued pressure on Hong Kong’s commercial real estate market
Peru’s central bank holds rates as inflation picks up
BCRP says bad weather, domestic gas shock and fallout from Middle East conflict will push up prices
Bundesbank gives up on renovating old headquarters
Bank to buy new HQ as renovation and maintenance would have cost too much