GDP
BoE rate-setters split four ways once more
Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee minutes shows three members continued to vote for rate hikes despite downward revision in fourth quarter of 2010 growth figures
Moody’s Portugal downgrade sparks further speculation of bailout
Moody’s cuts Portugal’s credit rating by two notches to A3 on weaker growth prospects; analyst says bailout expected in coming months
Swiss economy offsets last year’s losses: SNB report
Swiss National Bank 2010 Accountability Report says Swiss economy recovered losses from 2009
Bank of Israel on success of tax reforms
Excerpt from Bank of Israel 2010 Annual Report says recent government tax policy reduced direct taxes on labour
Australia’s Stevens calls for collective effort to rebalancing global economy
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens says advanced economies must utilise excess supply to help boost domestic demand in Asia
Underlying inflation, unemployment should ground mandate: Riksbank’s Svensson
Riksbank deputy governor Lars Svensson calls for refined monetary policy framework focusing on underlying, rather than headline, inflation and unemployment over resource utilisation
Bank’s chief economist joins dissenters on rate hike
Bank of England chief economist Spencer Dale votes for rate hike; analysts say outlook remains unclear given persisting weakness in data
Countercyclical buffer could be big help to output: BIS paper
Research by the Bank for International Settlements says Basel III’s countercyclical capital buffer could have “sizable” hand in preventing output falls
Geithner slams UK for light-touch regulation
US Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner says UK’s light-touch approach to regulation was a deeply costly strategy; says creating level playing field for banks will be crucial
Inflation may hit 5%, but we couldn’t have done it different: King
Bank of England’s Inflation Report says inflation will likely soar further; medium term outlook shifts slightly as spare capacity margin revised downwards
Bernanke calls for fiscal retrenchment
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke calls on government to ease debt burden from health care and ageing population
RBA - Monetary Policy Statement (February 2011)
Reserve Bank of Australia February 2011 Monetary Policy statement expects Cyclone Yasi to disrupt growth in early 2011
IMF studies G-7 factors in global business cycles
IMF study examines impact of G-7 indicators in driving global business cycles
Bank’s Weale joins Sentance in vote for rate hike
Bank of England’s external MPC member Martin Weale joins Andrew Sentance in vote for 25-basis point rate hike; decision marks growing divisions in rate-setting committee
Supply shocks are dictating inflation, King insists
Bank governor reiterates view that temporary events are keeping prices elevated, says development of second-round effects key to picture on underlying inflation; remarks divide analysts
Trinidad and Tobago’s Williams on economic outlook for 2011
Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago governor Ewart Williams says growth in Caribbean state during 2011 hinges on recovery in domestic demand
Trichet predicts positive momentum to carry through to 2011
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet says euro area economy outlook for 2011 expected to remain positive, identifies some downside risks
BoJ’s Nishimura warns of challenge population ageing poses on recovery
Bank of Japan deputy governor Kiyohiko Nishimura says population ageing can have prolonged effects on balance sheet adjustments following crises
US growth outlook encouraging, says Kansas City Fed’s Hoenig
Kansas City Federal Reserve president Thomas Hoenig says US expected to grow at moderate pace in next few years
Philadelphia Federal Reserve – Livingston Survey (December 2010)
Philadephia Federal Reserve’s biannual survey of economists shows expectations of high unemployment, low inflation in 2011
Nigeria stands by Sanusi’s government barbs
Central Bank of Nigeria maintains governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s assertion that legislative branch absorbs quarter of all government overheads; comments spark anger from politicians
Strauss-Kahn: global growth can reduce poverty in low-income countries
IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn says cooperation between countries from advanced and emerging economies can help reduce poverty in low-income countries
BoJ: a guide to the Tankan
Bank of Japan publishes note outlining ten most frequently used statistics on business conditions in Japan
Malta's Bonello warns of complacency over rapid recovery
Central Bank of Malta governor Michael Bonello says Malta's dependence on external demand growth creates vulnerability