Central Banking
Guatemala hold suspects in c bank chief kidnapping
GUATEMALA - Guatemala said on Friday it captured a man and a woman suspected of participating in the 25 February kidnapping of central bank chief Lizardo Sosa.
Russian parl'ment to approve c bank chief 20 March
RUSSIA - The State Duma lower house of Russia's parliament will vote on Wednesday to approve the appointment of Sergei Ignatiev as the country's new central bank chairman, the Duma's chairman said on Tuesday.
S Korea appoints Park Seung new c bank governor
SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's President Kim Dae-jung Tuesday appointed Park Seung as the successor to Bank of Korea Governor Chon Chol-hwan, the presidential Blue House said.
Saga of the convicted central bank governor
FEATURE - Bank Indonesia, which until early February still rejected Bank Bali claims as ineligible, suddenly reversed its policy. Erman Munzir, director of the banking development division at the central bank, at Pande's request, assigned a special team…
Banks in fight over card fees
AUSTRALIA - Banks and credit card issuers are in disagreement with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) over credit card reforms.
Swedish c.bank gov sees post-summer CPI up-tick
SWEDEN - Swedish inflation is likely to taper off in the next few months but rise anew after the summer due to strained resource utilisation, central bank Governor Urban Backstrom said on Tuesday.
RBA is losing minds in credit card battle
FEATURE - The Reserve Bank is digging itself into a hole in its new role as a consumer advocate and risks damaging its relations with the banks over its efforts to "reform" Australia's credit-card system.
Syria to set up monetary and credit council
SYRIA - President Bashar al-Asad has issued Law No. 23 of 2002 providing for the establishment of a Monetary and Credit Council [MCC]. The law stipulates that this council shall be in charge of organizing the monetary and credit institutions in Syria and…
Greek has "good chance" of landing ECB job
SPAIN - Greece's candidate for the vice presidency of the European Central Bank appears to be gaining support, although European Union finance ministers still have about a month to make a final pick.
SPB to stimulate debit card use in Brazil
BRAZIL - Brazil's inter-bank settlement program (SPB) is expected to cause a rise in debit card use and a corresponding decrease in check use due to high pre-funding fees, Bradesco technology director Osmar Roncolato Pinho told participants of a…
S Africa cenbank says property rights protected
SOUTH AFRICA - South African central bank Governor Tito Mboweni on Friday urged global investors to distinguish between his country and Zimbabwe, which is grappling with a worsening political and economic crisis.
'No change' to rouble exchange policy
RUSSIA - The new chairman-designate of Russia's central bank yesterday moved swiftly to reassure the financial markets that there would be no change to rouble exchange rate policy, while hinting at greater transparency in the management of his…
Argentine c bank bars 21 institutions from forex
ARGENTINA - Argentina's Central Bank on Monday suspended 21 financial institutions from foreign exchange trading after they failed to meet new capital regulations aimed at propping up a weakening peso currency.
Pakistan sees cash inflow
PAKISTAN - Pakistan's struggling economy enjoyed a significant surge of foreign currency late last year as expatriate workers sent money home from abroad.
Triennial Central Bank Survey - Final Results
REPORT - Triennial Central Bank Survey of Foreign Exchange and Derivatives Market Activity 2001 - Final Results, 18 March.
Speech by Svein Gjedrem of Norges Bank, 14 Mar
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'Monetary policy and wealth management' Gjedrem said "The Norwegian loan and capital market probably has weaknesses nevertheless, with thin securities markets and little breadth in investor and owner environments compared with…
Reserve Bank of Australia Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE - Reform of credit card schemes in Australia, 18 March.
IMF News Brief
NEWS BRIEF - Press Statement by the IMF Mission to Argentina, 15 March.
Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin
REPORT - The Bank of England has published its Quarterly Bulletin, Spring 2002.
Controversy over Transnistrian "central bank"
FEATURE - The National Bank of Moldova denies the legitimacy of the "central bank" of the self-proclaimed "Trans-Dniester Republic". But in the breakaway republic, not recognised by any other country in the world, the Trans-Dniester Republican Bank…
Central banker wins raves for straight talk
FEATURE - One year, a recessionette and 10 interest rate cuts later, and David Dodge, the governor of the Bank of Canada, has probably said more about the Canadian economy - and more candidly - than his predecessor did in two years.
Cash transfers to be possible by Visa card
UK - European consumers will be able to transfer money directly between each other's Visa credit and debit cards by the autumn under plans by the card-processing network.
Buba's Welteke says 2002 hard for German banks
GERMANY - Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke said on Friday 2002 would be a difficult year for German banks and urged the sector to take measures to counter falling results and weak international competitive power.
Russian central bank chief quits on health grounds
RUSSIA - Viktor Gershchenko, chairman of the Russian central bank, resigned on Friday six months before his term was due to expire in September. He abruptly sent a letter of resignation to the president, Vladimir Putin, citing reasons of ill health.