Central Banking
South African Reserve Bank - Annual Report 2001
ANNUAL REPORT - The Annual Economic Report of the South African Reserve Bank for 2001 is now available online. South Africa's foreign debt declined relative to gross domestic product. For mainly external reasons, the value of the rand has depreciated…
Buying back long-dated bonds way forward for Japan
LETTER - Letter by Professor Tim Congdon published in the Financial Times on 10 June in response to an editorial by Sir Samuel Brittan, which in turn had commented on Prof Congdon's original article in Central Banking journal, 'What is to be done about…
Central banks should heed asset inflation
LETTER - Anthony H. Rowley, a contributor to Central Banking journal, argues in a letter published in the Financial Times on 10 June that central banks should pay more attention to asset inflation when conducting monetary policy.
Bureaucrats compete to replace RBI dep governor
INDIA - There is stiff competition to take the place of the outgoing deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Dr Y. V. Reddy. According to the finance ministry, two senior bureaucrats are jockeying to control this key post which involves…
Commercial banker made dep chairman of Kazakh cb
KAZAKHSTAN - A new deputy chairman has been appointed to the National Bank of Kazakhstan. Anvar Saydenov, who is 41, was appointed by Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on the recommendation of the central bank.
Iran's cb to issue bonds despite US sanctions
IRAN - The Central Bank of Iran still plans to issue its first international bond, according to its governor, Mohsen Nourbakhsh. This is despite the withdrawal of Iran's debt rating by Moody's.
Update, B of Israel's Monetary Program, 9 June
PRESS RELEASE - The Bank of Israel today announced an update of its monetary program for June 2002, according to which its interest rate will be raised by 1.5 percent to 7.1 percent. The change will go into effect on Tuesday, 11 June 2002. Thus, the…
Shekel gains slightly on dollar despite rate hike
ISRAEL - The shekel strengthened only slightly on the dollar Monday, despite the Bank of Israel's surprise announcement a day earlier of a sharp hike in interest rates.
Increased hope that Turkey soon out of recession
TURKEY - A much sharper than expected rise in industrial output in Turkey has raised hopes that the country could soon recover from a deep recession. Industrial output rose 14.1% in April from a year earlier, well above a growth rate of 7.8% as predicted…
Rouble to fall as cb's overnight deposit rate cut
RUSSIA - Despite the theme of continuity in exchange rate policy which was emphasized when Sergei Ignatyev took over as head of the Central Bank of Russia in place of Viktor Gerashchenko earlier this year, the bank has subsequently made moves which imply…
Speech by Otmar Issing, ECB, 10 June
SPEECH - At the ECB Watchers conference in Milan on 10 June, Professor Otmar Issing, member of the Executive Board of the ECB, gave a speech on 'Monetary policy and the role of the price stability definition' in which he concludes that the ECB's twin…
Speech by Thomas Dawson of the IMF, 13 Jun
SPEECH - The speech 'Stiglitz, the IMF and Globalization' continues the recent argument between the IMF and Joseph Stiglitz who Dawson describes as the IMF's Chief Critic. Dawson says in the speech "my defense for getting into the fight is the classic…
Speech by Eva Srejber, Dep Gov of Riksbank, 3 June
SPEECH - Second Deputy Governor of the Riksbank, Eva Srejber, gave a speech on the subject of 'Sweden and European integration' at the IBC Euroforum on 3 June. In this speech she discusses financial integration within the EU and how companies and…
Bundesbank Monthly Report, April 2002
REPORT - The Bundesbank has issued its monthly report for April 2002.
Speech by Anne Krueger, Dep MD of the IMF, 6 June
SPEECH - Anne Krueger, First Deputy Managing Director at the IMF, gave a speech on 'Sovereign Debt Restructuring and Dispute Resolution' at the Bretton Woods Committee Annual Meeting in Washington DC on June 6. She talks of the progress made on the two…
BIS Operational Risk Data Collection, 4 June
RESEARCH - In May 2001, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision launched a survey of banks' operational risk data. The Committee is now collecting data for the year 2001. This will include information on banks' operational risk losses and various …
ECB Working Paper Series
RESEARCH - This paper develops a new Early Warning System model for predicting financial crises. It is shown that some EWS approaches can be subject to a 'post-crisis bias'. An optimal design of EWS models is suggested allowing policy-makers to make an…
IMF working paper on the Estonian currency board
RESEARCH - This IMF working paper reviews the introduction of the Estonian kroon under a currency board arrangement. It examines the economic impact of its introduction and its role in the early success of Estonia's transition to a market economy.
IMF response to Lerrick-Meltzer proposals
REPORT - The IMF responds to the Lerrick-Meltzer proposal to involve the private sector in the resolution of financial crises. It ultimately concludes that their proposals 'would not be a valuable addition to the existing instruments of the Fund'.
US inflation low says Fed nominee Donald Kohn
USA - Federal Reserve Board nominee Donald Kohn said on Thursday that US inflation was "pretty darn low" and that the economy was looking healthy: "we are getting awfully close to some zone of price stability if we are not probably already in it".
Argentina and IMF talks on loans to begin at last
USA - Argentina and the International Monetary Fund will begin talks next week on new loans to revive the economy. IMF spokesman Thomas Dawson remarked on Argentina's "substantial progress" in meeting conditions for the new talks, saying they "have been…
Blejer considers resignation after IMF agreement
ARGENTINA - Argentina's central bank president Mario Blejer is considering resigning once he designs a new monetary programme, implements a plan to convert deposits into bonds and helps obtain a loan from the International Monetary Fund, according to a…
Russia to crack down on bank supervision
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia has vowed to put harsh new measures in place to crack down on supervision over Russia's banks. This move by the central bank, which has recently overhauled its leadership, may cause a large number of banks to shut down.
Japan enjoys strongest growth for two years
TOKYO - Japan's economy has at last emerged from recession, enjoying its strongest growth for two years. The economy has rebounded from three straight quarters of contraction, growing 1.4% in the first quarter, which is an annualised rate of 5.7%.