Central Banking
Colombia stays on trend with 50bp hike
Central bank board unanimous on raising rate, but splits 4–3 on size of increase
Central bank social media trends in the ‘Instagram age’
Uptake of visual social media platforms rises, as Facebook usage plateaus
Turkey’s currency hits new low after further rate cut
CBRT says it is intervening on foreign exchange markets as Erdoğan raises minimum wage
IMF mission to leave Brazil in June
Announcement follows criticism by finance minister of IMF forecasts
ECB ends liquidity relief measures for banks
Lenders have not used buffers and coverage ratios exceed minimum levels, data shows
Myanmar and China to use renminbi for cross-border trade
Reports indicate that authorities will pilot settling small-scale trade transactions in yuan
Bank of Mexico accelerates tightening cycle
Díaz de León’s last policy meeting raises policy rates and revises inflation expectations
BoJ ends some emergency measures
Central bank offers more funding for loans to small businesses, but halts some asset purchases
ECB to halt PEPP purchases but expand APP
Lagarde says rising inflation will be temporary, but says ECB needs flexible monetary policy
Bank of England raises policy rate
Tightening comes amid inflation surge and just after BoE completes asset purchases
Costa Rica raises rates for first time in three years
Central bank raises policy rate by 50 basis points as Latin America faces rising inflation
Norges Bank increases rates despite below-target inflation
Olsen warns of “considerable uncertainty” as MPC says policy could be loosened or tightened
IMF paper emphasises importance of carbon pricing
Authors say carbon tax would be “more efficient and easier to administer” than other options
Fed doubles pace of quantitative easing taper
FOMC says recent inflation figures and labour market strength drove the decision
Chilean central bank continues sharp policy tightening
Second consecutive 125 basis point increase takes policy rate to 4%
Brazilian Senate passes new FX law
Central bank will regulate foreign currency accounts under law now on president’s desk
Hungary continues campaign of rate hikes
MNB ends asset purchase programme, as inflation rises above 7%
Podcast: Oliver Wünsch on a solution to eurozone fragmentation risks
A common fiscal authority could offer stability, but would require sharing more sovereignty
Crypto markets may centralise power – BIS bulletin
Need for centralisation is “inescapable” despite crypto boosters’ claims to the contrary – researchers
Trade credit helped amplify initial Covid-19 shock – BdF paper
Net borrowers of trade credit faced sharper liquidity squeeze, researchers find
Inflation challenges ECB’s normalisation plans
Central bank expected to confirm end of PEPP purchases on December 16
Pakistan confronts inflation with 100bp hike
Third consecutive increase may be last for a while, MPC says
IMF urges UK to withdraw ‘exceptional’ monetary policy
Fund says signals would dampen inflation expectations while leaving policy supportive
Bank of Canada renews monetary policy framework
Central bank conducts first “systematic” study of other frameworks since it adopted inflation targeting