Coronavirus
Riksbank maintains stimulus as it revises up growth forecasts
Swedish central bank says a return to negative rates is possible if inflation target is imperilled
BIS to operate sterling liquidity facility backed by BoE
Move echoes 20th century arrangements when BIS acted as intermediary in swaps network
IMF praises Chile’s Covid-19 response
Fund warns against new withdrawals from pension system
Fed must clarify future of QE, IMF says
IMF warns that rising longer-term Treasury yields could have major impact
BoE publishes emails showing unsuccessful lobbying by former PM
David Cameron urged BoE to support Greensill Capital during pandemic, correspondence shows
Eurozone’s public debt rose sharply in 2020 – official figures
Public debt in the bloc jumped to 98% of GDP in wake of Covid-19, Eurostat says
ECB makes no change as Lagarde warns of uncertainty
Lagarde says price pressures remain weak and cautions over possible Covid-19 variants
Bank of Canada tapers quantitative easing programme
Despite continuing pandemic, “the outlook has improved”, says Macklem
Emerging markets should prepare for higher rates – IMF article
Middle and low-income economies need to anchor fiscal policies after the pandemic is under control
BoE’s Bailey extols virtues of ‘meeting varied people’
Governor launches new initiative to gather diverse views from market contacts
Governors Nabiullina, Tabaković and Bezhoska on systemic risk and women in power
Russia, Serbia and North Macedonia governors discuss bank reforms, corruption and the Covid-19 crisis
ECB watchers say divisions on council could hamper decision-making
Analysts say central bank’s strategy of lower purchases could be tested later in 2021
Communities struggle to access stimulus funds – Richmond Fed
Barkin details challenges of getting relief funds to recipients
Zhang Tao on the IMF’s fintech agenda, CBDCs and big tech oversight
IMF deputy managing director speaks about the fund’s perspectives on CBDC operating frameworks, regulating big tech and macrofinancial oversight in a digital world
Biden stimulus will not move inflation much – Chicago Fed paper
Research finds most models predict very limited and short-term increases
Bank of Israel: vaccination fuelling rapid recovery
Inflation expectations are increasing, but headline figure still well below target
Is the ECB implementing yield curve control?
The eurozone has adopted a hybrid system – lying somewhere between the Fed’s QE and the BoJ’s yield curve control – that targets wider financing conditions
Fed may make Fima permanent – SF president Daly
SF Fed president says policy-makers also considering creation of domestic repurchase facility
Covid-19 support may have created “zombie firms” – BIS economists
Policy-makers should impose tighter lending standards and reform bankruptcy law, analysts argue
Emerging-market central banks lead on women’s empowerment
EME central banks have more women at staff level and in senior positions, but there are deep disparities worldwide, with childcare availability appearing to be a major cause
Demand for US services likely to rebound- Cleveland Fed survey
Study says US consumers have become more optimistic, except older people
Book notes: Central banks as fiscal players, by Willem Buiter
Buiter puts a real economic problem into a convincing theoretical frame, and translates it into applicable policy advice
New governor takes office in Belize
Former IMF official Vasquez takes office as financial and economic crisis unsettles country
Hungary’s central bank triples gold holdings
MNB says inflation risk and higher government debt played “key role” in decision