Inflation
Calls for New Zealand to drop inflation target
The New Zealand stock exchange operator, New Zealand Exchange (NZX), has called for on the country's central bank to abandon its strict inflation target. Michael Cullen, the finance minister, called the suggestion "very interesting and very well…
Mboweni dismisses calls for intervention
The governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, dismissed the suggestion of a group a renowned economic advisors to the government.
Trichet signals September hike
The European Central Bank (ECB) today left interest rates unchanged at 4%. In a surprise press conference after the announcement, Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the central bank, dropped a strong hint that rates will rise at the next meeting in…
Bank of England leaves rates unchanged
The Bank of England today announced that it would leave its benchmark interest rate at 5.75%. The decision to hold rates steady was widely expected, though most economists expect rates to rise to 6% before the end of this year.
Explaining inflation differentials
This working paper by the International Monetary Fund suggests that some central banks may aim at comparatively high inflation rates mainly to make up for, and to perhaps exploit, lagging internal and external liberalisation in their economies.
Unexpected tightening in Pakistan
Pakistan's central bank has unexpectedly raised its benchmark interest rate to its highest level in more than five years after inflation exceeded its target.
Indian cash reserve ratio increase
The Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank, today left its key interest rates - the repurchase rate and the reverse repurchase rate - unchanged at 7.75% and 6% respectively, but increased the cash reserve ratio.
Zimbabwe issues new $200,000 note
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced the latest in a series of temporary banknotes which are intended to relieve a critical shortage of notes in the inflation-ravaged country.
Slovakian rates on hold
The board of Narodna Banka Slovenska, the central bank of Slovakia, decided keep current interest rates on hold after a meeting of the monetary policy committee.
IMF on euro area policies
A report by the International Monetary Fund on euro area policies, released on 31 July, said that the outlook for the region was the best in years, but stabilising inflation below 2% may imply further gradual tightening of monetary policy.
Kuwait lets dinar fall again
Kuwait allowed the dinar to depreciate against the dollar for the second straight working day on Sunday July 29, this time by 0.05%.
Colombia raises rates
Colombia's central bank raised the overnight interbank rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 9.25%, the highest level since 2001.
New Zealand raises official cash rate
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has raised its official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 8.25%, while indicating that further rises may not be necessary.
Czech National Bank raises rates
As widely expected the Czech National Bank (CNB) today raised its main interest rate by 25 basis points to 3% in an ongoing rate tightening cycle.
Fund raises 2007 and 2008 growth forecast
The July update of the World Economic Outlook (WEO) published on 25 July by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased the Fund forecast for global economic growth for 2007 and 2008 to 5.2%, from 4.9%.
Polish rates stay at 4.5% as expected
Poland's central bank kept interest rates unchanged at its meeting on 25 July. The halt in monetary tightening comes after two rises in the three previous months raised rates to 4.5%.
Malaysian central bank leaves key rate unchanged
The central bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia, has left interest rates unchanged at 3.5%. The decision had been widely expected as inflation has eased substantially to 1.4% in June, after averaging 2% in the first six months of this year.
South African inflation remains well above target
Inflation in South Africa remained well above the central bank's target for inflation in June. It was the third consecutive month that inflation, as measured by the central bank's target measure CPIX index, breached the South African Reserve Bank's (SARB…
Gieve warns of losing inflation battle
John Gieve, a deputy governor at the Bank of England, has warned that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) could lose the battle against inflation if it took a more gradual approach to raising interest rates.
Nepal's cb outlines policy strategy
The Nepal Rastra Bank, the country's central bank, has published details of its policy strategy for the current fiscal year. The central bank says policy will aim to keep inflation under 5% without any change in the compulsory cash ration or the bank…
Malaysia leaves overnight rate unchanged
The monetary policy committee of Bank Negara Malaysia, the country's central bank, announced today that it has left its overnight policy rate unchanged at 3.5%.
Monetary policy announcement delayed by Zimbabwe
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has announced that it is indefinitely postponing its mid-year monetary policy statement, originally due next week. The central bank said it needed more time to analyse the implications of price controls imposed by the…
Sri Lanka's monetary policy review
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka's tight monetary policy has been vindicated as inflation decelerated to 13%, although rises in administrative prices meant there was a risk this could be reversed.
Bank of Israel closes "interest rate gap"
The Bank of Israel has announced an interest rate increase of 25 basis points. The hike, which takes rates to 3.75%, was somewhat unexpected as most observers expected rates to remain unchanged.