US dollar
Interbank rates edge down again
Money market tensions eased further on Friday, signalling that the joint action announced by five of the most powerful central banks last week is having some impact in narrowing spreads between interbank and central banks' benchmark rates.
Joint action lessening interbank spreads
In a sign that central banks' concerted action aimed at easing money market tension is doing just that, banks' borrowing costs fell further on Thursday.
Taiwan hikes rates to 3.375%
The board of the Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on Thursday opted to raise its benchmark discount rate by 12.5 basis points to 3.375%.
Central banks collaborate to ease interbank woe
In one of the most significant co-operative central banking efforts of modern times, five of the world's most powerful monetary authorities joined forces in a bid to restore order in the interbank markets.
Carry trade returns high but losses heavy
Though carry trades in various Asian currencies tend to outperform major stock markets, there is a relatively high frequency of large negative returns, research published by the Bank for International Settlements finds.
Chinese inflation surpasses previous peak
China's inflation accelerated further in November after matching the 11-year peak reached in August the previous month.
Canada's Dodge and Carney assess outlook
Mark Carney, who is set to become the Bank of Canada's new governor next February, appeared in front of Canadian parliamentarians last week, as did current incumbent David Dodge.
Subprime aftermath risks exacerbating imbalances
Financial market turbulence, together with a significant slowdown in the United States, could lead to and be exacerbated by a disorderly resolution of global current account imbalances, says the Bank of Canada's latest Financial System Review.
Dollar's value linked to US productivity
A more productive United States workforce indirectly enhances the dollar's value, research published by the San Francisco Federal Reserve finds.
Canada surprises markets with quarter-point cut
The Bank of Canada's rate-setting board voted unexpectedly on Tuesday to cut its benchmark overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.25%.
EU and China agree measures on "severe" movements
A meeting between Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, and his Chinese counterpart, Zhou Xiaochuan, has resulted in the People's Bank of China saying it will co-operate with the EU to avoid "severe" fluctuations in exchange…
Koruna's rise presents mixed blessing
Ludek Niedermayer, a vice governor of the Czech National Bank, parried calls for the central bank to act on the appreciation of the koruna and said that the increase in the currency's value made euro accession more favourable.
Dollar fall hampering Chinese reserve management
Wen Jiabao, China's premier, said on Monday that the fall in the value of the greenback was making it difficult to manage the country's reserves.
G20 predicts "modest" global slowdown
Central bank governors and finance ministers from the G20 economies said that the credit turmoil would likely have a "modest" effect on global growth, but added that it remained difficult to judge the eventual impact.
Koruna's rise unsustainable - Czech's Tuma
Zdenek Tuma, the governor of the Czech National Bank, has described the koruna's appreciation against the euro and dollar as unsustainable.
Central banks: the gorillas of foreign exchange
Chris Turner, the head of foreign exchange strategy research at ING wholesale banking in London, evaluates the possibility of sterilisation by central banks next year
SWFs more likely to diversify than central banks
Sovereign wealth funds are much more aggressive in diversifying foreign exchange assets than central banks, says Mansoor Mohi-uddin, the managing director of foreign exchange strategy at UBS, a leading investment bank.
ECB holds rates at 4%
The European Central Bank's (ECB) rate-setting board voted on Thursday to keep rates at 4%, the fifth rate hold in a row.
The only way is down
Avinash Persaud, the chairman of Intelligence Capital, a financial advisory firm, predicts the dollar will drop to $1.70 against the euro and $2.20 against sterling before central banks intervene.
Dollar hits new low on back of Chinese comments
Sterling and the euro reached record highs against the dollar on Wednesday after a senior Chinese official said the government should diversify its foreign exchange reserves by swapping dollars for stronger currencies.
Inflation ahead, warns Greenspan
Central banks must hike rates in order to curb global inflation, Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, warned on Tuesday.
No new currency this year: Zimbabwe's Gideon Gono
Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, told a local Sunday newspaper that the country will not issue a new currency this year.
Qatar may not track Fed moves
In comments that throw the future of a currency union in the Gulf in further doubt, the governor of the Qatari central bank has suggested the central bank could deviate from its usual practice of shadowing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
Canadian dollar begins to slide
The Canadian dollar fell on Thursday from an all-time high as worries grew over the effect of the US subprime mortgage crisis on corporate profits and stocks slumped. Analysts said that the market was "definitely overextended".