Inflation
South Africa bids to cool economy with 50bp rise
The South African Reserve Bank looked to dampen rampant inflation by hiking rates by half a percentage point for the third time since July.
Australia holds rates at 6.75%
The Reserve Bank of Australia's rate-setting board voted on Wednesday to leave its benchmark cash rate at 6.75%, an 11-year high.
Nigeria combats inflation with 50bp hike
The Central Bank of Nigeria's rate-setting board voted on Tuesday to raise rates by half a percentage point to 9.5% in a bid to fight inflation.
Interest rates set to climb in China in 2008
The People's Bank of China said on Wednesday that it would step up its fight against inflation by implementing tighter monetary policy controls and utilising other monetary tools in 2008.
Thailand holds rates despite rising inflation
The Bank of Thailand's rate-setting board voted on Tuesday to keep its benchmark one-day repurchase rate at 3.25% in spite of signs that inflation is beginning to accelerate.
Domestic pressures behind Australian rate rise
Members of the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate-setting board voted to hike rates last month on domestic economic grounds, minutes of the 6 November meeting reveal.
Canada surprises markets with quarter-point cut
The Bank of Canada's rate-setting board voted unexpectedly on Tuesday to cut its benchmark overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.25%.
CEPR proposes solution for fiscal dilemma
Game theory and inflation targeting could provide the best solution to the problem of fiscal policy impacting monetary policy, a paper published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) finds.
Central Bank of Bolivia - Annual Report 2006
The Central Bank of Bolivia just about managed to keep inflation within the 3% to 5% target range in 2006.
SARB policies here to stay regardless of Zuma
Tito Mboweni, the governor of the South African Reserve Bank, moved to assure markets on Thursday night that inflation targeting would remain whether or not the South African presidency changed hands.
UK's King gloomy on economic conundrum
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, said on Thursday that the economic outlook is "uncomfortable" because the problems of the credit crisis are now coupled with burgeoning inflationary pressures.
Czechs hike rates to 3.5%
The Czech National Bank's rate-setting board voted on Thursday to hike rates by 25 basis points to 3.5% after inflation rose to a six-year high in October.
South African inflation rampant despite rate hikes
Two 50 basis point rate hikes have failed to dampen rising inflation in South Africa, new statistics showed on Wednesday.
Poland hikes rates to combat inflation
The National Bank of Poland's rate-setting board voted on Wednesday to raise the benchmark reference rate by 25 basis points to 5% after inflation rose above the central bank's target in October.
Uncertainty clouds outlook for rates in Norway
Svein Gjedrem, the governor of the Bank of Norway, said on Wednesday that the central bank's interest rate decisions may diverge from the forecasted rate path because of the heightened uncertainty caused by the global financial turmoil.
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.
Zimbabwe inflation stats delayed by lack of goods
Zimbabwe's state statistics department said on Tuesday that inflation figures cannot be calculated because not enough consumer goods are available.
Hungary holds rates on inflation fears
The National Bank of Hungary's rate-setting board voted on Monday to hold rates at 7.5% after the central bank's inflation report revealed inflation would decline more slowly than anticipated.
Israel holds rates at 4%
The Bank of Israel's rate-setting board voted on Monday to keep rates at 4% for the third consecutive month.
Turkey to "monitor closely" second-round hikes
The minutes of the Central Bank of Turkey's November rate-setting meeting have revealed that the potential second round effects of rising food and energy prices will be closely monitored.
Hoenig: US economy will "weather this storm"
Thomas Hoenig, the president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve and the only member of the Federal Open Market Committee to vote against the 31 October rate cut, said that he thought the effects of the credit crunch were unlikely to spread very far.
The drawbacks of disinflation policies
Economies enter persistent recessions and inflation heads above the long-run level in the immediate aftermath of a disinflation policy, research published by Banque de France finds.
Zimbabwe set for new currency
Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said on Wednesday that the issue of a new currency was imminent, after announcing just over a fortnight ago that it would be delayed until 2008.
The trip to transparency
The Fed's decision to increase the frequency and volume of its economic projections is another welcome step towards transparency under Ben Bernanke's stewardship. But it still has a way to go before catching up to the other major central banks, says…