Inflation
The Exchange Rate and Inflation in the UK
RESEARCH - External MPC Unit Discussion Paper No.11, The Exchange Rate and Inflation in the UK by Amit Kara and Edward Nelson. The paper looks at the evidence from the UK on inflation behaviour and examines the propositions from several theoretical…
Brazil's c bank calls extraordinary Copom meeting
BRAZIL - Brazil's Central Bank called Monday an extraordinary meeting of its interest rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (Copom), two weeks before presidential elections and amid a currency crisis that is fanning inflation and whipping the economy.
SARB Monetary Policy Review - October 2002
REPORT - The South African Reserve Bank has published its October Monetary Policy Review. The report reflects on increased inflationary pressures in the South African economy following the depreceiation of the rand in the latter half of 2001.
SARB-South Africa's inflation outlook has improved
SOUTH AFRICA - Central bank governor Tito Mboweni sent a strong signal on Tuesday that interest rates may not rise again in November, saying the country's inflation outlook had improved "significantly".
Takenaka asks BoJ to set inflation target
JAPAN - Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka has asked the Bank of Japan to set an inflation target in a bid to ease deflation pressure seen as a result of banks' bad loan write-offs.
Speech by Charles Freedman, Bank of Canada, 2 Oct
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'The Role of Inflation Targets in the Canadian Economy' Freedman said that a monetary policy framework based on an explicit target for inflation has helped the Canadian economy to weather shocks, and will continue to do so…
Bank of Canada warns on inflation rate
CANADA - The Bank of Canada said yesterday inflation would remain higher than expected until the middle of 2003 but analysts said it was still too close to call whether the bank will raise interest rates at its next policy announcement on 16 October.
Interest rates will fall says New Zealand's Cullen
NEW ZEALAND - Interest rates should start to come down following the change to the Reserve Bank's inflation target, New Zealand Finance Minister Michael Cullen told the Financial Times in London Thursday.
SARB reject call for changes to inflation target
SOUTH AFRICA - South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Tito Mboweni on Wednesday dismissed calls for changes to the inflation target measure, and stressed the central bank had to remain vigilant against rising inflation.
Reserve Bank's new target divides economists
ARTICLE - As widely expected, the policy targets agreement between the Government and new Reserve Bank Governor, Dr Alan Bollard, has been amended to require him to keep inflation in a 1 to 3 per cent band "on average over the medium term".
Inflation target regime debated in South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA - Economists briefing Parliament's finance committee endorsed the country's inflation targeting regime on Friday, but offered conflicting advice on how to improve it.
Russia's central bank to decide on Russia-Belarus
RUSSIA - The Central Bank of Russia is to shape the inflation and currency rates in the Russia-Belarus Union, said Russian Vice-Premier and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin at a Tuesday session in Moscow of the Council of Ministers of the Russia-Belarus…
South African inflation hits record high
SOUTH AFRICA - South Africa's targeted CPIX inflation measure vaulted to a record high in August, official data showed on Tuesday, supporting the Reserve Bank's decision last week to raise interest rates for the fourth time this year.
New Zealand raises inflation target
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand raised its inflation target in the New Policy Targets Agreement announced Tuesday giving new central bank Governor Alan Bollard more leeway to avoid sudden interest rate increases that might choke economic expansion.
New currency to stabilise inflation in Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN - The head of Da Afghanistan Bank, the central bank in Afghanistan, Anwar al-Haq Ahadi, announced in an interview that with the distribution of the new banknotes in Afghanistan it can be hoped inflation will be reduced.
South Africa raises interest rate
SOUTH AFRICA - The South African Reserve Bank on Thursday made a one percentage point increase in the country's prime interest rates in an effort to force inflation below 6 per cent.
OECD backs Norway's central bank policy
NORWAY - The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) urged Norway on Friday to resist the temptation of spending any more of its vast oil revenues and leave interest rates high to keep inflation in check.
Eurozone CPI rises above ECB ceiling
GERMANY - Consumer price inflation in the eurozone rose above the European Central Bank's 2 per cent ceiling in August, weakening any hopes of a rate cut in the near future.
SARB inflation target seen as out of reach
SOUTH AFRICA - Consumer inflation surprised on the upside last month, fuelling expectations that the Reserve Bank's targets for next year are getting out of reach, though Business Day reports economists said they did not expect interest rates to rise…
Romania c bank says inflation targeting off course
ROMANIA - Romania's National Bank (BNR) does not have all the necessary means to assume responsibility for attaining a clear inflation target, read the conclusion of a BNR study drafted by the bank's specialists, and coordinated by vice-governor Cristian…
Central Bank of Brazil Working Paper Series
RESEARCH - Optimal Monetary Policy, Gains from Commitment, and inflation persistence by Andre Minella, Central Bank of Brazil, August 2002.
O'Neill sees growth, zero inflation
US - U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill has said that the U.S. economy was set to exit 2002 in good shape with inflation benign, but exhorted corporate executives to help revitalize the economy by setting an example of honesty and integrity.
Surprise rise for UK inflation seen
UK - UK inflation has risen higher than expected, casting doubt on the need for another interest rate cut.
Thailand's central bank in upbeat mood on economy
THAILAND - The Bank of Thailand is confident that deflation will not be an immediate concern. M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, the central bank governor, said the prevailing exchange rate of about 42.5 baht to the US dollar would not trigger inflation either.