Interest rates
ECB paper presents evidence of risk-taking channel in US
Working paper finds interest rates affect the quality of bank credit in the US; researchers exploit confidential data on banks’ internal ratings of loans
Riksbank minutes highlight effort to protect rising inflation
Executive board members saw potential for krona appreciation as a risk to inflation outlook; broad support for additional asset purchases, but some questions over size
Fed presidents navigate ‘mixed signals’
Dennis Lockhart is putting more weight on positive employment picture than disappointing growth stats; both he and Robert Kaplan see potential for labour force to expand
RBA cuts to 1.75% as data disappoints
Glenn Stevens points to “unexpectedly low” inflation data as the Reserve Bank of Australia cuts its key rate by 25bp; Australian dollar slides following decision
Rajan sided with the consensus, minutes show
RBI governor cuts rates in line with views of external advisers; four of the five members wanted to reduce the repo rate at the April 5 meeting
Wheeler says further easing may be needed as RBNZ holds
Wheeler says interest rate cuts could be needed, though the RBNZ kept its key rate at 2.25% today; mixed picture with dairy export prices improving but currency still high
BoJ holds policy despite weakening expectations
Yen climbs as policy board keeps interest rates and asset purchases at existing levels; growth and inflation forecasts cut while there is “considerable uncertainty” around the outlook
Fed holds and drops reference to global risks
Federal Open Market Committee holds federal funds rate as widely expected; suggests growth in economic activity has slowed but concerns about global developments have eased
Researchers explore link between rates and consumption in new model
Working paper published by ECB examines transmission mechanism of monetary policy in a heterogeneous agent New Keynesian model
Fed liftoff pushed some rates down – Riksbank paper
Researchers find hike in policy rate lowered average interest rates on subprime lending, and narrowed spreads with the less risky section of the market, using novel "scraped" data set
Basel Committee opts for local discretion on rate risk
Committee abandons attempt to create common global standard for interest rate risk, opting instead to leave discretion with banks and supervisors in final standards
New Turkish governor presides over cut at first meeting
Monetary easing remains the order of the day at the Turkish central bank, as MPC lowers ceiling of rate corridor in Murat Çetinkaya’s first week in office
Fed's Rosengren warns against exceeding full employment
Boston Fed president says significantly overshooting full employment, which he estimates at 4.7%, could lead to an overheating economy and “rapid removal” of monetary policy accommodation
Reserve managers: divergent monetary policy will impact work in 2016
Survey results from forthcoming book identify divergence across the globe as key influence on reserve management; suggest renminbi investments are growing in popularity
Kuroda: Negative rates having ‘visible’ impact on JGB yields
Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda says rates are falling across the yield curve, falling negative up to a maturity of “around” 10 years; sees effects spreading in future
Embargoed lock-ups scrapped after RBNZ confirms leak
Report says a journalist leaked the March 10 cut to colleagues; Reserve Bank of New Zealand ends practice of allowing media and analysts advance access to rate decisions and major reports
Canada holds rate but raises growth forecast in light of fiscal boost
Stephen Poloz highlights “more favourable policy mix” in press conference; central bank notes emergence of “positive forces” in decision
BoE assumes control of interest rate benchmark
Central bank to take responsibility for overnight benchmark, planning to broaden the transactions underpinning its calculation; WMBA to retain role in calculating and publishing figures
Data dependence catching on, says San Fran Fed president
Market participants have become more responsive to economic news since 2015 in both the US and UK, research by Benjamin Pyle and John Williams finds
IMF urges action to prevent global economy ‘stalling’ and ease central bank burden
Maurice Obstfeld highlights risk of “widespread secular stagnation” as IMF publishes latest WEO; details fiscal and structural support needed to ease burden on monetary policy
Mexican deputy calls for ‘proper consideration’ of peers
Mexican deputy stresses need for improved policy communication between advanced economies and emerging markets
Operational reform has not impacted longer term rates, BoE working paper says
Reserve averaging and reserve targets reduced volatility in overnight rate but had little impact on longer-term rates, research finds
Summers: Fed is not ready for next crisis
Secular stagnation has left Federal Reserve short on firepower as the next recession looms, economist says; urges greater willingness to risk inflation overshoot and action by fiscal authorities
Skingsley sees turning point for Riksbank policy
Immediate threat is fading, enabling the central bank to focus more on longer-term risks, deputy governor says