Central Banking
Mandate change proposal would be unconstitutional, Polish governor says
Bank governor says giving the central bank a growth mandate would not be permissible under EU law; senior figures in governing party call for monetary easing programme
Norges Bank paper tries to extract high-frequency forecasts from low-frequency data
Researchers find low-frequency information can be important in forecasting high-frequency variables, designing a model that outperforms a random walk benchmark
BoE researchers unearth further evidence of electronic trading driving liquidity shocks
Study of market liquidity finds episodes of volatility have centred on fast, electronic markets, and says broad trend has been towards greater use of electronic platforms
BoE’s Brazier defends new stress testing framework
Executive director says the Bank of England already has much of the forecasting infrastructure it needs, but will not overestimate its ability to spot the UK’s position in the financial cycle
Economists challenge foundations of monetary economics
‘Neo-Fisherian’ approaches use standard New-Keynesian models to show that cutting interest rates will produce lower, not higher, inflation – and the result is surprisingly difficult to overturn
Central Bank of Barbados continues digital drive
Central bank publishes its economic review in video format as part of an ongoing digital drive; governor DeLisle Worrell is driving force behind digitisation
BoJ holds QQE fire but pushes back inflation forecast
Bank of Japan leaves asset purchase programme unchanged despite downward revision of outlook; central bank now predicts inflation target will be reached in second half of fiscal 2016
European banks ‘lagging behind’ in re-thinking strategies, Bundesbank board member says
European commercial banks have been too slow in adapting to a changed regulatory environment and low interest rates, says Andreas Dombret of the Bundesbank
Central Bank of Iceland approves failed bank plans
Central Bank of Iceland approves ‘composition agreements’ by failed banks, offering them the opportunity to duck a heavy stability tax
Riksbank attacks government's amortisation proposals
Sweden’s central bank strongly criticises aspects of government proposals to cool the housing market; says measures threaten the independence of Swedish macroprudential regulator
Swaziland currency drops under Fed decision pressures
Delayed Fed rate rise put pressure on Swaziland lilangeni, central bank says, and more moves are likely
Fed rate rise given the ‘amber light’
Federal Reserve holds rates but hints there could be action at the December meeting; analysts still seeing mixed signals
Emerging markets risk ‘quantitative tightening’, Caruana says
Problems now affecting emerging markets are a continuation of global problems, head of BIS says; response by policy-makers is too reactive and based on domestic circumstances
Countries under credit stress should ‘front-load’ fiscal consolidation, says ECB paper
Front-loading will bring confidence effects, the working paper suggests
Bernanke offers insight into Fed’s political balancing act
Former Fed chair tells of navigating both political and economic pitfalls in crisis response, and says the US central bank’s independence is still under threat
NBIM records Q3 loss amid stock market volatility
Norges Bank Investment Management posts uncomfortable loss in third quarter, driven by sharp drop in its equity investments, but fund’s chief executive stresses long-term focus
Turkish central bank may act as inflation forecasts rise
Declining exchange rates and rising food prices have pushed inflation expectations upwards, monetary policy committee says; governor says he will raise interest rates if necessary
Tightening bank loans explains much of ‘Great Recession’ in eurozone
Tightening bank loans and increases in bond premia explain much of the recent contraction in the eurozone, paper argues
Riksbank unleashes further easing
Central bank hopes extended asset purchase programme and commitment to keep rates lower for even longer will help reinforce a gradual upward trend in growth and inflation
Adaptive learning models offer route out of liquidity traps, paper argues
An adaptive learning-based macro model shows monetary easing policies can end a liquidity trap under certain conditions; empirical studies of easing differ widely on its effects
RBA sees no ‘financial stability case’ for repo CCP
Central bank decides not to actively encourage the (re)creation of a repo-focused central counterparty, but says it will work with the industry if it wants to take the project further
Sarb ready to deploy countercyclical buffer from January
South African Reserve Bank says countercyclical capital buffer is ready but not yet needed, in latest financial stability report
Central Banking award winners to be revealed in January
Awards include Central Bank of the Year and Governor of the Year, and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award
Vocalink to deliver ‘new generation’ real-time payments in US
CEO David Yates tells Central Banking there will be unique challenges to delivering real-time payments in the US, as Vocalink is chosen to provide software behind faster payments project