Central Banking
Kazakh gold/forex reserves up to $2.65 bln
KAZAKHSTAN - Kazakhstan's net gold and foreign currency reserves grew to $2.650 billion on April 15 from $2.625 billion on 31 March, the central bank said on Wednesday.
High resource use a worry for Sweden's c bank
SWEDEN - The Swedish economy may be running close to or even above full resource utilisation, the governor of Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, said on Wednesday, adding this posed risks for inflation in the future.
Japan lawmaker says BOJ chief not worth his salt
FEATURE - Is a central bank governor who has been unable to halt a three-year decline in prices or prevent the longest recession in decades worth his salt - particularly when his paycheck is 38.43 million yen ($293,000) a year?
Croatia moves to restore confidence in banks
CROATIA - The Croatian National Bank is seeking to restore confidence in the country's banks after politicians suggested a trading scandal might have affected more than one bank.
India considers establishing gold exchange
INDIA - Pressure is building on the Indian federal government to give clearance for setting up a gold exchange for spot, forward and futures trading in the precious metal.
Argentine economy minister to meet US' O'Neill
ARGENTINA - Argentine Economy Minister Jorge Remes Lenicov, seeking IMF aid to help stabilize a brutal recession, will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill during an upcoming trip to Washington, Argentine officials said late on Tuesday.
Speech by Masaru Hayami, Bank of Japan, 17 Apr
SPEECH - Statement by Masaru Hayami, Governor of the Bank of Japan, concerning the Bank's Semiannual Report on Currency and Monetary Control before the Committee on Financial Affairs, House of Representatives, on April 17 2002.
Bank of Japan Monthly Report - English text
REPORT - Monthly Report of Recent Economic and Financial Developments from the Bank of Japan, April 2002. Full English text available 15 April.
Minutes of Japan's Monetary Policy Meeting
MINUTES - Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes from the meeting of 28 February, released 16 April.
Speech by Governor, Danmarks Nationalbank, 11 Apr
SPEECH - In the speech Andersen rejected the suggestion that the central bank is targeting some kind of "normal rate spread" over European Central Bank interest rates.
Speech by Jamie Stewart, New York Fed Bank, 9 Apr
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Challenges to the payments system following September 11' Stewart focused his remarks on the shocks to the payments system stemming from the events of September 11 and the steps that are being taken to ensure even better…
Changing the guard on the Bank of England's MPC
FEATURE - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee is about to embark on its most radical shake-up since it was set up five years ago. Five of its nine members - including the Governor and his two deputies - will either be replaced or have their…
Bank of Canada Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Bank of Canada raises overnight rate target by 1/4 percentage point to 2 1/4 per cent, 16 April.
Canada raises interest rates on "robust" economy
CANADA - Citing evidence of a robust economic recovery, the Bank of Canada on Tuesday increased the overnight interest rate to 2.25 percent, up from a 40-year low of 2 percent.
Ignatyev to submit nominees for central bank board
RUSSIA - Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia, Sergei Ignatyev, plans to submit three candidates for the CBR board of directors to the State Duma, lower house of parliament, in the next few days, a Duma source said on Tuesday.
UK inflation edges higher
UK - New figures have shown that UK inflation edged slightly higher in March.
Japan's credit rating lowest among G-7 nations
US - Japan's credit ratings were cut to "AA-" by Standard & Poor's, the third reduction in 14 months for the world's second-biggest economy.
BOJ voted 8-1 to maintain target on 28 Feb
JAPAN - The Bank of Japan's Policy Board, at its 28 February meeting, voted 8-1 to maintain the target for financial institutions' current account deposits at the central bank at 10 trillion to 15 trillion yen, the BOJ said Tuesday.
Zambia replaces c bank governor Mwanza
ZAMBIA - Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has terminated the contract of central bank governor Jacob Mwanza with immediate effect, presidential spokesman Arthur Yoyo said on Tuesday.
Klein to consider his position if c bank reformed
ISRAEL - Bank of Israel Governor David Klein says he'll have to consider his future if the Bank of Israel Law governing the central bank is revised according to the Finance Ministry's proposal it is reported.
Thin skin - Don't mess with Buba
FEATURE - The upcoming German elections appear to have put German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in a foul and vindictive mood. Some months ago, there was the chancellor's surprisingly undiplomatic "How Dare You" response to Brussels' warning that Germany…
WGC reaffirms, central banks should not sell gold
AUSTRALIA - The World Gold Council is continuing to ask European central banks to leave their reserves alone rather than putting quantities of gold up for auction, WGC managing director Robert Weinberg said Tuesday.
Speech by Svein Gjedrem of Norges Bank, 5 Apr
SPEECH - Gjedrem said in the speech titled 'Monetary policy and the outlook for the Norwegian economy' that high credit growth posed a risk to the Norwegian oil-backed economy. "The debt level in the households is increasing sharply," he said at a…
Speech by William Poole, St Louis Fed Bank, 11 Apr
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Inflation, Recession and Fed Policy' Poole said low inflation is essential to make necessary monetary policy changes and to support economic growth.