Euro
Cyprus and Malta join eurozone
The eurozone became a little larger on Tuesday as Cyprus and Malta, two Mediterranean islands, adopted the single currency.
Cyprus cuts rates before eurozone entry
The Central Bank of Cyprus's rate-setting board on Friday unexpectedly slashed rates by 50 basis points to 4% to match the European Central Bank's benchmark rate.
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.
Central bank injections reduce borrowing costs
Central banks' attempts to narrow the spread between their benchmark and money market rates by offering funds at attractive costs have met with some success.
Rock raises lender of last resort issue for EU
One important aspect of the Northern Rock crisis in the UK has been to make market participants wonder what would happen if a similar-sized institution got into difficulties in a small or medium-sized EU member state.
Cyprus holds rates at 4.5%
The Central Bank of Cyprus's rate-setting monetary policy committee voted on Monday to keep its benchmark rate at 4.5% in its last scheduled decision.
Eurozone growth stat charts biggest fall this year
A measure of the economic outlook in the euro area indicated on Thursday that growth in the region slowed sharply in November.
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…
Transition economies set for inflation dilemma
Central and Eastern European economies may have to face steep sacrifice ratios in order to keep inflation within the target range for euro accession, says Kryzsztof Rybiski, the deputy president of the National Bank of Poland.
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.
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.
Spain's Ordoez upbeat on eurozone growth
Sound fundamentals and robust global growth should support relatively favourable medium-term economic conditions in the eurozone, says Miguel Fernandez Ordoez, the governor of the Bank of Spain.
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.
European central bank response wins plaudits
The reaction of European central banks to the credit crisis gained International Monetary Fund (IMF) approval on Monday.
ECB rolls over €60 billion-worth of injections
The European Central Bank decided on Thursday to renew the two supplementary longer-term refinancing operations allotted on 23 August and 12 September.
Central Bank of Cyprus - Annual Report 2006
In 2006, the Central Bank of Cyprus intensified its preparatory work for the adoption of the euro, which will become the country's currency on 1 January 2008.
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.
Strengthen dollar or face "economic war": Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, has told American politicians that the dollar must appreciate in order to avoid an "economic war" between the United States and the eurozone.
Cyprus and Malta brace for the euro
With just two months to go before both island economies join the euro, Justin Keay compares Malta’s smooth preparations with the more problematic case of Cyprus.
Dollar at all-time low against euro after Fed cut
The greenback reached a record low against the euro following the Federal Open Market Committee's decision to cut rates by 25 basis points. At its peak, the euro was worth 1.4504 against the dollar on Thursday.
ECB faces hard choices as inflation hits 2.6%
Inflation in the euro area rose to 2.6% in October - half a percentage point higher than in September, according to statistics published by the Eurostat, the EU statistics office.
Non-bank financial firms' impact on the eurozone
The growth in the amount of deposits held by financial institutions other than banks in the euro area has led to the integration and deepening of the region's financial markets and a shift in the attitude of investors towards risk, research by the…