Central Banking
International Monetary Fund - Annual Report 2002
ANNUAL REPORT - The International Monetary Fund has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2002. In the Annual Report the IMF report that in 2001 the world economy experienced a synchronized, widespread slowdown after the unusually strong…
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Minutes
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting, 4 and 5 September 2002. The MPC voted unanimously in favour of maintaining the repo rate at 4%. The Committee agreed that the world economy was on balance a little weaker than…
Bank of Japan Public Statement
STATEMENT - New Initiative Toward Financial System Stability, 18 September.
Bank of Japan Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - On today's decision at the Monetary Policy Meeting, 18 September.
BoJ plans radical share buying idea to aid banks
JAPAN - In an unprecedented move, the Bank of Japan on Wednesday said it planned to buy shares from banks directly in an effort to prop up the faltering stock market.
China central bank urges banks to step up controls
CHINA - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, on Wednesday issued guidelines on commercial banks' internal control, in a bid to urge the banks to improve their control system, minimize financial risks and ensure the safety of the…
Russian one currency plan unacceptable to Belarus
BELARUS - Speaking on plans for the introduction of a single union currency, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka described the introduction of the Russian rouble in Belarus as a necessary step, but slammed Russian suggestions that roubles be…
Norges Bank keeps interest rates unchanged
NORWAY - Norway's central bank kept interest rates on hold at an executive board meeting on Wednesday but switched to a neutral bias for rates, reflecting dwindling inflationary pressures in the oil-backed economy.
Bank of England unanimous on holding rates
UK - The Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep UK interest rates unchanged at their September meeting according to the latest minutes published on Wednesday by the Bank of England.
Fed's McDonough has advice for SA's bankers
SOUTH AFRICA - Bank capital rules brought up to date for a global marketplace must be flexible and take into account a bank's size and its risk appetite, New York Federal Reserve President William McDonough said on Wednesday.
SA financial system stable: Mboweni
SOUTH AFRICA - Local financial regulators are highly optimistic about the stability of the country's financial system, says Tito Mboweni, the SA Reserve Bank governor.
Fiji issues new banknotes
FIJI - The Reserve Bank of Fiji has issued banknotes with new security features.
Speech by Jurgen Stark of the Bundesbank, 6 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Cyclical and architectural issues of the international economy' Stark said even though recent news about the world economy has not been exactly cheerful, judging by the data now available, the world economy remains on the…
Speech by Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, 15 Aug
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Marketing Pakistan's Image' Husain said "in the end, I would just like to underscore a basic point: the development of a brand called Pakistan and the subsequent marketing of a positive image for Pakistan requires a…
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - New Policy Targets Agreement, Joint Press Statement by Finance Minister Michael Cullen and incoming Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard, 17 September 2002.
Speech by Robert Parry, San Francisco Fed, 12 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The Economic Outlook for the Nation and the Region: A Monetary Policymakers View' Parry said "my basic view is that we're now in the midst of a modest expansion". While the recession hasn't been officially declared over yet…
IMF Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler, Remarks on China Visit, 13 September.
Russia's central bank to decide on Russia-Belarus
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia is to shape the inflation and currency rates in the Russia-Belarus Union, said Russian Vice-Premier and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin at a Tuesday session in Moscow of the Council of Ministers of the Russia-Belarus…
South African inflation hits record high
SOUTH AFRICA - South Africa's targeted CPIX inflation measure vaulted to a record high in August, official data showed on Tuesday, supporting the Reserve Bank's decision last week to raise interest rates for the fourth time this year.
MAS issues guidelines on internet banking
SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore has called on banks to address the rising danger of new threats to Internet banking, including attacks by hackers.
Russians opt for euro over dollar
RUSSIA - Russians are buying more euros than dollars for the first time since the new European currency became available, according to the central bank.
Developing nation bankruptcy treaty may emerge
ARTICLE - With financial instability rippling through Latin America, momentum appears to be building for an international plan to make it easier for developing nations to declare bankruptcy and renegotiate their foreign debts, reports the Wall Street…
Bank of Japan warned, fight deflation
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan (BoJ) should cooperate with a push by the government to halt deflation, chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda said today as central bank board members convened for a two-day policy meeting.
New Zealand raises inflation target
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand raised its inflation target in the New Policy Targets Agreement announced Tuesday giving new central bank Governor Alan Bollard more leeway to avoid sudden interest rate increases that might choke economic expansion.