Gold
Canada gold sale said part of established program
Canada's sale of 20,000 ounces of gold in Feb 2001 was made as part of an established program to sell all of the precious metal held by the central bank, a finance ministry official said on Mar 5, 2001.
Gold lease rates tighten further, spot adds gains
Gold was reversing a recent downward trend in Europe as it rose to fix on Feb 27, 2001 at the highest level since Jan 8, 2001 building on short-covering gains made overnight with more advances on the cards, traders said.
Belgian central bank issues loans warning to banks
The National Bank of Belgium used its annual report on Feb 20, 2001 to fire a warning shot to commercial banks about lending to high tech firms. The central bank, which is pitching to take on a greater role in banking supervision in Belgium, said banks…
Swiss SNB gold sales total 5.4 tons in 10 days
The Swiss National Bank said on Feb 20 its gold reserves fell by CHF77.6 million to CHF34.33 billion in the 10-day reporting period to Feb. 20, 2001.
'Suing the BIS'- by William Hall
William Hall of the Financial Times reports on the difficulties the Bank for International Settlements has got into as it struggles to counter the accusation that the price it has offered to buy back its shares from the private sector is "absurdly low".
Belgium eyes central bank gold profit for pensions
Belgium's government plans to use profits from the past transfer of gold from its central bank to the European Central Bank to start a state pension fund it had hoped to fill with proceeds from the sale of mobile telephone licences, Belgian media…
Estonia c.bank Jan reserves down amid rules change
Estonia's central bank said on Feb. 7 its gold and foreign currency reserves dropped 14.4 percent in January 2001 from December 2000 as new regulations easing the use of commercial banks' mandatory reserves went into effect. The central bank said in a…
Bank of Estonia total assets down 6.5% in Jan 2001
The total assets of the Bank of Estonia declined by 6.5 percent during January to 16.1 billion kroons (USD 955 mln) at the end of the January 2001. The central bank's gold and currency reserve dropped by 2.2 billion kroons or 14.4 percent to 13.2 billion…
ECB-forex reserves almost unchanged at 260.9 bln
The European Central Bank said on Jan. 30, 2001, foreign currency reserves of the euro zone central banks in the week ending January 26 were "virtually unchanged," while its gold holdings were also unchanged. The net position of the ECB and euro zone…
China cbank spokesman on management of gold
A spokesman for the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said Dec 22 that without authorization from the State Council and ratification of the PBOC, no institutions or organizations are allowed to organize gold trading market.
Trichet backs disputed BIS share buyback plan
Bank of France governor Jean-Claude Trichet said on Wednesday that he believed a disputed plan by the Bank for International Settlements to buy out private shareholders was fair.
China c.bank says gold exchange venue not set
China's central bank said on Tuesday it had not decided where to set up the first national gold exchange, denying a newspaper report it would be located in Shanghai.
Yugoslavia an IMF member, to receive $100m-Dinkic
Yugoslavia will have $100m at its disposal on the basis of gold reserves, which Former Yugoslavia has in the Bank of International Settlements in Basel, Mladjan Dinkic, Yugoslav National Bank governor, announced this evening.
BIS says US gold scheme suit 'without merit'
The Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements rejected as baseless on Tuesday a US lawsuit alleging the BIS conspired with central banks and major international investment houses to keep the price of gold low.
Failure to reach agreement over ex-Yugo gold
The governors and vice-governors of central banks which emerged after the break-up of the former Yugoslav federation failed to reach an agreement on the distribution of gold and foreign currency reserves at the International Bank for Settlements in Basel…
Belgrade sees progress in dividing ex-Yugo gold
Yugoslavia said on Monday it hoped to quickly reach a deal with other members of the old six-member Balkan federation on dividing up gold assets held with the Bank of International Settlements.
China to put gold mkt In Shanghai, timing unclear
Central bank officials Monday said China's first communist-era gold market will be set up in Shanghai, but they declined to say when.
Macedonia seeks bigger share of Yugoslav gold
Governor of the Central Bank of Macedonia Ljube Trpeski said that Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will request the Bank for International Settlements in Basel to change the formula for sharing of foreign currency reserves in gold of the former National…
Gold as part of diversified investment plan
Including gold in a diversified portfolio can improve investment performance and make the investment better able to cope with shocks to the system. World Gold Council institutional investment head Dr Robert Weinberg said gold can improve investment…
ECB has own idea of optimal fx reserves-Issing
European Central Bank (ECB) member Otmar Issing said he felt the amount of foreign reserves held in the Eurozone was well within the range of estimates, but was evasive on whether this constituted an optimal level.
Bank of Japan can learn from Sweden on inflation
In a letter to the editor in Financial Times today, Professor Lars Jonung argues that the Bank of Japan can learn from the Riksbank in adopting a zero inflation target.
China begins move to deregulate gold
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank which has a monopoly on domestic gold trading, has taken the first step to deregulate the domestic gold market by reducing its authorised gold purchasing points in all provinces, industry sources…
Russia's gold reserves up on last week
Russia's gold and foreign currency reserves were $26.5bn on 17 November, up from $26bn on 10 November, the central bank said in a press release on Thursday.
SNB sees gold as good diversification tool
The Swiss National Bank still sees gold as a good tool to diversify its reserves even though the central bank is gradually selling off half its original holdings of the metal, SNB Chairman Hans Meyer said.