Central Banking
Taiwan premier issues 5 point directive to c bank
TAIWAN - Taiwanese Premier Chang Chun-hsiung has issued a five-point directive to the Central Bank of China (CBC), urging it to help revitalise the sagging economy and speed up financial reform.
Singapore MAS shifts policy statement to 12 July
SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it is postponing the release of its annual report and a widely anticipated monetary policy statement by a day to Thursday, 12 July.
Euro € - Portugal says it won't print large notes
PORTUGAL - Portugal's central bank has rejected printing the largest denomination euro notes because it believes people will shun them, a spokesman said on 9 July.
Pakistan to auction T-bills worth one bln rupees
PAKISTAN - Pakistan's central bank will auction one billion rupees ($15.62 million) worth of three-, six-and 12-month treasury bills from 10 July, the State Bank of Pakistan said. Tender results will be announced on 11 July.
Yoshikuni to be named special adviser to BIS
JAPAN - The Bank for International Settlements has decided to appoint Shinichi Yoshikuni, a former Bank of Japan official, as special adviser to the Basel-based institution, it was learned 9 July.
China regulates on-line banking
CHINA - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, on 9 July launched a provisional method for regulating on-line banking.
Bank of Israel displeased with monetary panel plan
ISRAEL - The Bank of Israel is "not very happy" about government plans to appoint a monetary council to set interest rates, which would end Governor David Klein's position as sole policy maker, a central bank source said.
Postal bank launch held up by control issue
CHINA - Expectations of the kick-off of the much-heralded Postal Savings Bank are premature, both the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and the State Postal Bureau reveal.
US recession risk rose in May - Chicago Fed index
US - The recession risk for the U.S. economy increased to its highest point this year in May, according to an index released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago on 5 July.
Banking on capital punishment
SPEECH - Roderick M Carr, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to the New Zealand Association of Economists, Christchurch, 27 June.
ECB Press Release - Euro frontloading
EUROPE - The European Central Bank issued a press release 5 July titled Frontloading of euro banknotes to central banks outside the euro area.
ECB Press Conference
EUROPE - Introductory statement Willem F. Duisenberg, President of the European Central Bank, Christian Noyer, Vice-President of the European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main, 5 July, with a transcript of the questions and answers.
Sluggish IT seriously affecting overall economy
SOUTH KOREA - A long-lasting slowdown in the nation's information and technology (IT) industry has been dealing a serious blow to the nation's exports, imports and current account balance as well as production in the manufacturing industry.
Beware of Dr. Green and Mr. Span
US - Some pretty smart people are warning about the danger of playing with interest rates, comparing the nation's central bankers to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Call these critics the Alan Greenspan bashers, writes the Economist magazine 5 July.
Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged
UK - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has left UK interest rates unchanged for the second month in a row. The committee concluded their two day meeting on 5 July. The Bank's base rate remains at 5.25%.
European interest rates held steady
EUROPE - The European Central Bank (ECB) has left eurozone interest rates unchanged for the second month in a row. Their main refinancing rate remains at 4.5%.
Stanley Fischer - Argentine Bankers Association
SPEECH - Stanley Fischer, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund has spoken at the Argentine Bankers Association Meeting Buenos Aires, 25 June.
Consumer protection and the banking industry
SPEECH - Joseph Yam, JP, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, at the Hong Kong Association of Banks' Half-Yearly Dinner, Hong Kong, 19 June.
Regulator to study Brazil comparative rate system
CHILE - Chilean banking authorities will study the implementation of the Brazilian Central Bank's comparative interest rate system with a view to boosting transparency and competition in the loan market, Chile's chief banking regulator Enrique Marshall…
Liberal rules for S-type accounts in force, Russia
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia has drafted a number of instructions aimed at liberalising rules for S-type accounts, in which foreign investors must keep rubles received from redemption of government bonds that were frozen after the 1998 financial…
Promoting financial stability in New Zealand
SPEECH - Recently published transcript of an Address by Dr Don Brash, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to the Conference for Commonwealth Central Banks on Corporate Governance for the Banking Sector, London, 6 June.
China to unify mark on banking cards
CHINA - China's central bank issued a circular Monday demanding that all commercial banks adopt a unified "Yinlian" mark on their banking cards for the purpose of settling in the local currency, Renminbi.
IMF reach compromise over central bank law changes
INDONESIA - Indonesia appears to be making some headway in its efforts to get fresh loans from the International Monetary Fund.
No trial operations approved for banks in China
CHINA - China's central bank said on 2 July it has not approved any trial operations of new private banks and declared such moves illegal, contradicting a media report last week that some trials were well progressed.