Growth
G-20 leaders plan to scrutinise reform efforts
Leaders reaffirm commitment to reforms designed to raise global growth two percentage points and agree ‘robust monitoring framework’; OECD says reform progress has been patchy
FOMC members too bullish on growth, researchers at San Francisco Fed say
‘Persistent overoptimism' about future growth since financial crisis may be due to overestimation of monetary policy efficacy following a balance-sheet recession, authors find
Stevens gloomy on growth as RBA cuts
RBA governor warns Australian economy is showing greater signs of weakness than previously thought, in a statement announcing a cut in the interest rate to record low
Rajan says RBI is seeking ways to encourage foreign investment
RBI tightens rules for foreign investors but Rajan says central bank is looking into ways of encouraging desirable FDI flows; rates remain on hold
BIS paper argues debt overhang is ‘leading cause’ of sluggish growth
Paper by Stephanie Lo and Ken Rogoff finds debt overhang is the main factor behind countries struggling to recover from crisis, but high leverage may obscure other factors at play
Productivity performance sparks uptick in US entrepreneurship, finds Boston Fed paper
‘Modest improvement' in 2012 and 2013 follows a 'significant decline' in firm creation after the financial crisis to the lowest level since 1977
IMF: Central banks ‘must' ease if inflation expectations drop
Easing should be conducted through ‘other means' than interest rates if they are at ZLB, Fund argues in WEO update, which downgrades global growth forecast for 2015 to 3.5%
Lower productivity behind growth slowdown in African middle-income countries, IMF paper finds
Slowdown in total factor productivity 'largely responsible' for weaker growth in small middle-income African economies, authors argue
Turkmen central bank chief ousted as economic malaise worsens
Gochmurat Muradov is the latest in a string of Central Bank of Turkmenistan chairmen to be dismissed after only one or two years in the post; deputy chosen to take over his position
Signs of reflation in Japan as Abe sweeps back to power
Tankan survey shows degree of optimism among businesses and potential for rising wages in coming months, although evidence is mixed; Shinzo Abe reclaims supermajority in election
ECB paper uses financial conditions indices to help predict growth developments
Working paper presents indices for three industrialised and five emerging economies; authors say they are a potential leading indicator for eurozone external environment
Flug warns Israel is falling behind in productivity race
Bank of Israel governor sees country slipping behind its OECD peers and suggests policy changes to boost productivity growth
PBoC cut fails to impress but more action on the cards
Economists say first cut in two years likely to have weak effect at best, but PBoC may have to take stronger action going forward as economy worsens
G-20 Brisbane Summit: What to look for
Leaders of the G-20 countries meet this weekend to try to thrash out a deal on financial stability, growth and employment; Central Banking looks at some of the main issues on the table
RBA’s Stevens highlights challenges as rates stay on hold
Monetary policy statement registers some concern over risks originating from Chinese housing, heightened volatility and a high Australian dollar, but rates kept steady
Buba research links output volatility and capital flows
Discussion paper finds countries with more volatile growth rates face greater procyclicality of capital outflows, which may be a result of precautionary saving
RBA paper aims to reduce noise in GDP calculation
Researchers combine three measures of Australian GDP to produce a measure they say is less volatile and easier to calculate
BoE’s Haldane sees UK economy ‘writhing in both agony and ecstasy’
Chief economist sees reasons to be both optimistic and pessimistic about the UK economy, but says on balance rates are likely to have to stay lower for longer than expected
Zhou backs Chinese growth target in face of slowdown
PBoC governor says Chinese economy is on track to hit growth target of 7.5% in 2014, despite drag from the housing market; central bank deploys measures to boost real estate sector
IMF paper considers corporate governance reform in Japan
IMF researchers say corporate governance reform could help ‘unstash the cash’ held by Japanese firms and improve the economy’s growth potential
Banxico deputy says free trade deals will boost medium-term growth
Javier Guzman says Mexico has 'tariff-free access to a potential market of more than a billion consumers and 60% of world GDP'
Flug fears advanced economies will leave Israel behind
Bank of Israel governor notes gap between GDP per capita in Israel and US was close to 50% in 2011 and is expected to remain 'more or less the same' – a 'clearly troubling picture'
Sarb hits out at ‘blatant misrepresentation’ ahead of South Africa elections
Central bank refutes claims by Democratic Alliance that Sarb models indicate support for the party’s economic policies; central bank calls for nominations to three non-executive directorships
Public opinion of BoJ policy continues to dive
Bank of Japan survey shows majority of Japanese people now think interest rates are too low, while a growing proportion believe the economy will worsen over the next year