Central Banking
China banks stay stable in Jan 2001 - PBOC report
Statistics released on Feb. 12, 2001 by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) show that in January 2001 China's financial sector continued its healthy and stable development momentum, with money supply, deposits and loans maintaining steady growth. At the…
CNB not to undershoot target again- Frait
The Czech National Bank (CNB) should not undershoot its inflation target in 2001 again and must react in time, said Jan Frait, a member of the CNB Bank board. "There is probably no danger that we undershoot the target once again, otherwise it could be a…
Argentina seeks probe into money-laundering
The Argentine government, embroiled in a money-laundering scandal threatening the job of the Central Bank chief, requested on Feb 12, 2001 an investigation involving local and foreign banks and a Mexican drug cartel. Federal Judge Adolfo Bagnasco has…
Pakistan says Islamic banking won't hit accords
Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf said on Feb. 12, 2001 that Pakistan's plans to introduce interest-free Islamic banking would not affect the country's international financial dealings and accords.A government statement quoted him as giving the…
'On the Edge-Living with global capitalism'-Hutton
Yet another book about globalisation - but this one has the edge over many competing titles. Will Hutton, whether or not one agrees with his views, is incapable of writing with either the jargon, woolly mindedness or downright tedium which characterise…
West African Monetary Institute gets officers
The Committee of Governors of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) has appointed four of the five senior officers to work with the Institute's Director-General, M.O. Ojo, a statement from the ECOWAS Secretariat said in Abuja on Feb 12. According to…
Oman allows banks to sell insurance policies
The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has allowed commercial banks operating in Oman to sell insurance policies in partnership with any insurance companies in the Sultanate. However, the Central Bank has stipulated that the policies must be sold by the…
UAE studies licensing new foreign banks-cen bank
The United Arab Emirates is considering allowing more foreign banks to operate in the country after a virtual freeze on new licences, the central bank governor said in remarks published on Feb 11, 2001. "The internal banking structure is strong and able…
UAE to assess money laundering
According to Al-Hayat newspaper [Feb. 11, 2001], the Governor of the Emirates Central Bank, Mr. Sultan Bin Nasser Al-Suweidy, said that an international monetary committee will visit the UAE during the period of February 19-21. This committee will assess…
Peter Nicholl - Success of Bosnia payment system
BiH Central Bank Governor writes about the successful introduction of new payments system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He says it is the result of teamwork Vice Governor Kemal Kozaric. He said that it was an historical day for BH. Foreign currency reserves…
Zimbabwe orders banks to remit forex to cenbank
The government of Zimbabwe has directed commercial banks to remit 75 percent of their foreign currency to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe until further notice, bank officials said on Feb 10."There was a directive yesterday to the effect that banks should…
Nigeria CBN prepares banks for universal banking
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has started processing the banking licences of banks with a view to granting them a general licence for universal banking. This was revealed to finance journalists in Lagos over the weekend [Feb. 10-11, 2001] by the…
Japan cuts interest rates
The Bank of Japan has decided to cut its largely symbolic discount interest rate to 0.35% from 0.5%. However, Japan's key interest rate, called the overnight call rate, has been kept at 0.25%. The Bank of Japan (BoJ), led by governor Masaru Hayami, has…
Bank Indonesia officials to be suspects over loans
Senior Indonesian central bank officials will soon be named suspects over the handing out of huge loans to struggling banks in the late 1990s, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on Feb 9, 2001."In the next one or two weeks, there will be senior…
BIS to host 17 cbank officials in HK Feb 12
The Bank for International Settlements plans to host officials of 17 central banks in Hong Kong on Feb 12, 2001. An official of the Basel-based institution said the central bankers will discuss both the global economy and the strengthening of financial…
Buba Stark-EU fin min council should censure Irish
Ireland should be censured by the full council of European Union finance ministers, for not adhering to its commitment to tighter fiscal policy, Deutsche Bundesbank Vice President Juergen Stark said on Feb. 9, according to German newspaper Boersen…
Greek cbank says no sales of euros to restructure
Greece's central bank said on Feb. 9, 2001 that it had not been selling euros as part of a restructuring of its foreign reserves but that some payment in foreign exchange had been made on behalf of the Greek government. "All these rumours that the Bank…
No need to reform BoF advisory mon policy council
There is no need to reform the Monetary Policy Council (MPC) of the Bank of France, which advises Governor Jean-Claude Trichet, according to Raymond Douyere, a former Socialist Party parliamentarian appointed to the nine-member MPC in 2000. "Abolishing…
US plan to widen euro debt holding is logical-ECB
The European Central Bank said on Feb 9, 2001 plans by the U.S. monetary authorities to widen their holdings of government securities in the euro zone to include countries other than Germany were a logical step following the arrival of the euro. "This is…
Russia Duma ratifies single currency with Belarus
The Russia State Duma budget committee on Feb 9, 2001 decided to recommend that the lower house of parliament ratify the agreement between Russia and Belarus on the introduction of a single currency and on setting up a single monetary emissions center…
Swedish Riksbank says rate policy right for now
Sweden's central bank said on Feb 9, 2001 inflation prospects were favourable and its inflation target achievable in coming years, and there was no need right now for further monetary policy measures."Today, inflation prospects seem to be favourable,"…
China's cbank sets rules for fines and penalties
China's central bank has set new rules specifying the kinds of penalties it can assess, in a bid to standardize its regulatory practices, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Feb 9, 2001. The People's Bank of China rules specify the sizes of fines…
G20 cbank deputies meet in Istanbul Feb 18-19
The meeting of G-20 international group of Deputy Finance Ministers and Central Bank Deputy Governors will be held in Istanbul between February 18-19, 2001. Treasury Undersecreatriat said on Feb. 9 that the meeting aimed to prepare the ground for the…
Ex-head Bulgarian cbanker charged with fraud
Stoyan Shoukerov, former head of the Foreign Exchange Operations Department of the National Bank of Bulgaria (BNB), has been charged with abuse of office in connection with the refinancing of commercial banks with 49 million dollars, the Special…