Euro
No softening of EU rules for euro bidders
European Union governments won't relax inflation criteria for countries seeking to adopt the euro, finance ministers said on Tuesday 10 October.
Central Europe cannot afford to delay the euro
According to this article published by the Financial Times on Monday 9 October, the main reason for stalling central European economies is the reluctance by several governments to embrace monetary union as quickly as possible.
Almunia silent on date for Lithuanian euro entry
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joachim Almunia declined to set a date for Lithuania to enter the eurozone in a speech Monday 2 October.
Tumpel-Gugerell on financial system modernisation
In the speech 'Opening remarks at the conference on Financial System Modernisation and Economic Growth in Europe' given on 28 September Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said EU economic growth has been disappointing in the period since the launch of…
IMF paper on currency volatility trends
The IMF Working Paper "Common volatility trends in the Central and Eastern European currencies and the euro" asks how much convergence has been achieved between Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies and the eurozone.
CNB's Erbenova rules out 2010 euro date
Czech National Bank board member Michaela Erbenova told daily newspaper Dnes that the Czech Republic will not adopt the euro by its 2010 target date.
ECB's Weber not worried on Iran reserves threat
A threat by the Central Bank of Iran to move its foreign exchange reserves out of dollars into other currencies, notably the euro, should not necessarily be a cause for concern, European Central Bank Governing Council member and Bundesbank President Axel…
Trichet, Juncker warn on disorderly rate moves
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet has told a news conference that disorderly moves in exchange rates are negative for economic growth.
ECB keeps rates steady
The European Central Bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3% as expected.
The euro as an invoice currency
A new ECB working paper investigates the determinants of currency invoicing in international trade.
How the euro gives Britain a free ride
New research suggests Britain and other European countries that have not adopted the euro have nevertheless benefited from it nearly as much as insiders, without giving up policy autonomy
Lithuania sets sights on eurozone entry in 2009
The Lithuanian government has said that it will pass a euro adoption plan this Autumn, according to a local press report.
Slovakia pledges 2009 for euro adoption
In an interview with the Financial Times, Slovakia's finance minister Jan Pociatek said, "It is my personal responsibility to follow the euro commitment," allaying fears that the new leftist government might delay the adoption of the single currency.
New York Fed's Foreign Exchange Operations Report
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Treasury and Federal Reserve Foreign Exchange Operations quarterly report for April-June 2006, published 3 August, the U.S. monetary authorities did not intervene in the foreign exchange markets during…
Counterfeiters finally crack the Euro note
According to this article published on The New Zealand Herald's website on Wednesday 2 August, the amount of counterfeit currency discovered in the 12 euroland countries is now running at 600,000 notes a year - roughly the same as before the single…
Jarai sees euro entry hopes unlucky before 2013
Hungary's central bank (NBH) governor Zsigmond Jarai said on Tuesday 1 August that Hungary's economy was not on the right track and that it has become questionable whether euro adoption could be possible even in 2013.
Cross-border bank contagion in Europe
This European Central Bank Working Paper, published 27 July, analyses cross-border contagion in a sample of European banks from January 1994 to January 2003.
Fiscal convergence before entering the EMU
This European Central Bank Working Paper, published 27 July, addresses the question of whether a reduction of public deficits, such as imposed by the Maastricht fiscal criteria, is a necessary or useful step on the road to the adoption of the euro.
Cen bank reserve shifts not all that meets the eye
This article published Thursday 27 July by Reuters says a close look at IMF reserve data, and the dollar's moves in recent years, suggests central banks may not be undertaking conventional reserve diversification.
Comment: Scorecard for the euro
When the single European currency was launched, its expected boost to trade was one of, if not the main, benefits promised. Two recent studies question whether this promise has been met.
Lithuania's new PM pencils in euro for 2009-2010
Lithuania's new Prime Minister, Gediminas Kirkilas, said the country is unlikely to join the euro zone before 2009, BNS reported citing the Delfi news portal.
Comment: More pounds in their pockets
According to the most recent IMF data on reserve holdings, the pound sterling has surpassed the yen as the third most popular reserve currency. A number of factors could see the pound's popularity increase further.
UAE says reserves shift not political
In an interview with the Financial Times, the United Arab Emirates' central bank governor confirmed a strategic decision had been taken to move 10 per cent of its $29bn foreign exchange reserves into euros.
Slovenian euro coin production begins
EU finance ministers on Tuesday 11 July gave Slovenia a final formal go-ahead for the country's entry to the eurozone as of January 2007.