Central Banking
Last chance for the single financial market
ARTICLE - Tuesday's European Union finance ministers' meeting is a test of their seriousness about creating a single European financial market. They have a choice. If they are wise, they will build an EU system of financial regulation that draws strength…
Indian banks to take up forward trading in gold
INDIA - In what is seen as a possible first step in opening up the Indian bullion market, all scheduled commercial banks authorised to deal in gold have been permitted to enter into forward contracts with their constituents (exporters of gold products,…
CentralBankNet Monday Special Feature
SPECIAL FEATURE - In this weeks special feature, CentralBankNet looks at the prospects for interest rates. The Bank of England, ECB and Federal Reserve all convene their respective committee's this week for regular monetary policy meetings and there is a…
Gary Stern on economic literacy
SPEECH - In the speech 'Economic Literacy Leads to Better Grasp of Public Policy Issues' made on 24 October, Gary Stern of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis said it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves and others that economics has a lot to say about…
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank Agency to be based in Exeter, 29 October.
Minutes from the Sveriges Riksbank Board meeting
MINUTES - Minutes of the Sveriges Riksbank Executive Board meeting on 16 October, published 30 October. Although the Executive Board voted to maintain the repo rate at 4.25 per cent the minutes reveal Deputy Governor Kristina Persson entered a…
Europe's best defence against deflation
ARTICLE - Many people are worried about deflation. Severe deflation, as in the early 1930s, is catastrophic; mild deflation, as in Japan today, could become self-reinforcing. There are, moreover, similarities between early 1990s Japan and parts of Europe…
The Fed should cut next week
ARTICLE - The US economy is growing around trend, unemployment is at its lowest post-recession peak for decades, the housing market is firing on all cylinders - and the financial markets are expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to a 40…
China to promote small loans to rural households
CHINA - A spokesman for the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said Monday that the central bank will adopt more effective measures to guide and promote rural credit cooperatives to grant small credit loans to rural households.
Korea's foreign ex reserves over $116 billion
KOREA - The Bank of Korea said Saturday the nation's foreign exchange reserves as of the end of October amounted to $116.9 billion, up $305 million from the end of the preceding month.
Mexico holds firm on inflation targets
MEXICO - Mexico's Central Bank president held firm on the country's inflation targets for this year and next, even as expectations of higher inflation and diminished growth mount.
World Gold Council welcomes Shanghai gold trading
CHINA - The World Gold Council has welcomed the successful launch this week of trading in physical gold on the new Shanghai Gold Exchange. Trading started on Wednesday, October 30, and in the three days since more than 790 kilos of gold bullion has…
Monetary Council of ECCB meets in Anguilla
ST KITTS - Member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) have recommitted themselves to maintaining the value of the exchange rate at 2.70 EC Eastern Caribbean dollars to the United States dollar.
Swedes could reject euro, says union body
SWEDEN - The head of Sweden's powerful blue collar labour organisation has warned that Swedes could reject membership of the euro unless the government takes special measures to protect the country's cherished welfare model.
Rand defence
ARTICLE - Tito Mboweni, South Africa's Reserve Bank governor, is taking the defence of his country's currency to new lengths. On Friday, Mboweni donned military regalia for his appointment as an honorary colonel of the 1st South African Tank Regiment.
Customs union a step towards GCC integration
OMAN - The GCC monetary union is a stepping-stone for "higher order of integration among member states," said Hamoud Sangour Al Zadjali, Central Bank of Oman executive president.
UAE c bank begins registering hawala operators
UAE - In a first step towards regulation of hawala, the UAE Central Bank has embarked on a registration and reporting system for hawaladars or brokers.
Importance of risk management stressed
ARTICLE - The risk management in Islamic banking is vital in the rapidly growing segment of the global economic industry, Mahnaz Bahrami, the senior economist for research and policy at the Central Bank of Iran, has said.
Argentina: World Bank extends loan deadline
ARGENTINA - World Bank President James Wolfensohn said the due date for a debt payment to the World Bank has been pushed back to 14 Nov from 9 Nov, Argentine Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna said in a Sunday newspaper interview.
Bank of Greece set to improve transparency
GREECE - The Bank of Greece on Friday indicated that restrictions on consumer and personal loans could be lifted next year on condition that the current slowdown in credit growth continues at the same pace and a forthcoming study can prove that Greek…
Solomon c bank warns on fake Diana charity
SOLOMON ISLANDS - The Solomon Islands Central Bank has stepped up its campaign against the promoters of a get-rich-quick scheme that claims links with the late Princess Diana.
Ghana will play active part towards monetary union
GHANA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Thursday said Ghana would fully support all activities toward the adoption of a monetary union for West Africa to facilitate trade and movement for the socio-economic benefit of the 250 million people in the Sub…
Single currency a stable solution
ARTICLE - A common currency would bring more security to everyone in the Asia-Pacific region an article in the Australian Financial Review, 27 September claimed.
Commission to assess benefits for UK's euro entry
ARTICLE - Eleven of the world's leading economists will serve on a new commission to consider the consequences for Britain's economy of a decision to reject membership of the euro.