Interest rates
France renews onslaught on ECB policy
The French government has resumed its campaign calling for the European Central Bank (ECB) to cut rates.
Should rate policy note Wall Street's influence?
Reflecting on the Federal Reserve's recent decisions, Stephen Cecchetti, the Rosenberg professor of global finance at the Brandeis International Business School, asks whether it is wise to separate actions to ensure financial stability from those to aid…
Eurozone retail banking data shows convergence
Though cross-border differences in interest-rate levels persist, retail banking markets in the eurozone are becoming more integrated, research published by the Bank of Finland finds.
Fed's Rosengren calls for banks to declare losses
Banks must fully disclose their losses to limit the damage of the subprime fallout, says Eric Rosengren, the president of the Boston Fed.
Fed's Plosser stays hawkish on rates
Charles Plosser, the president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve and a voting member of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), hinted that he would back a rate hold when the committee meets later this month.
Bank Indonesia avoids rate cut on price fears
Bank Indonesia's rate-setting board voted to keep rates on hold at 8% on Tuesday after inflation remained way above the central bank's medium-term target in December.
Japan's Iwata praises new communication strategy
The Bank of Japan's new communication policy framework has improved both transparency and flexibility, says Kazumasa Iwata, a deputy governor at the central bank.
ECB ready to act as inflation stays high
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), said on Saturday that the rate-setting governing council was ready to act to control rising prices after figures published Friday showed euro-area inflation stayed at 3.1%.
Romania hikes rates to 8%
The National Bank of Romania's rate-setting board on Monday voted to raise the benchmark monetary policy rate by 50 basis points to 8%.
Differences are a strength of Fed strategy: Kohn
Recent disparities in speeches by FOMC members on the economic outlook in the United States reflect the pace of change rather than any failure in the Fed's communication strategy, says Donald Kohn, the vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve board.
India's central bank cuts again
The Reserve Bank of India cut rates by a percentage point for the second time in less than a month and eased deposit requirements for commercial banks in a bid to limit the impact of the financial crisis.
Research shows dollarisation and rates link
Since the adoption of inflation targeting and a floating exchange rate in 1999, real interest rates in Brazil have fallen as levels of dollarisation in the economy have dropped, research published by the International Monetary Fund finds.
Fed minutes reveal clear shift in outlook
The minutes of the December meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), published on Wednesday, reveal a more dovish Federal Reserve than was suggested at the time.
ECB could hike rates, says Orphanides
The European Central Bank's rate-setting governing council will not rule out raising interest rates, Athanasios Orphanides, a member of the council and governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus, said on Thursday.
Central Bank of Kuwait - Annual Report 2006-2007
In a bid to combat rising inflation, the Central Bank of Kuwait raised the exchange rate of the Kuwaiti dinar against the greenback from 292 fils to 289 fils per dollar.
Cyprus cuts rates before eurozone entry
The Central Bank of Cyprus's rate-setting board on Friday unexpectedly slashed rates by 50 basis points to 4% to match the European Central Bank's benchmark rate.
Interbank rates edge down again
Money market tensions eased further on Friday, signalling that the joint action announced by five of the most powerful central banks last week is having some impact in narrowing spreads between interbank and central banks' benchmark rates.
China lifts rates in new bid to halt inflation
The People's Bank of China on Thursday hiked rates for the sixth time this year in an effort to curb inflation now at an 11-year peak.
Japanese board all back 0.5% rate hold
The Bank of Japan's rate-setting board voted unanimously in favour of keeping its benchmark uncollateralised overnight call rate at 0.5% on Thursday.
Taiwan hikes rates to 3.375%
The board of the Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on Thursday opted to raise its benchmark discount rate by 12.5 basis points to 3.375%.
Bank of England committee unanimously backed cut
All nine members of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee voted in favour of cutting rates to 5.5% earlier this month, minutes published on Wednesday reveal.
Riksbank holds rates at 4%
The Riksbank's rate-setting board voted on Wednesday to keep its benchmark repo rate at 4% despite higher-than-predicted inflation.
Slovakia holds rates at 4.25%
The National Bank of Slovakia's rate-setting board on Tuesday opted to keep the benchmark limit rate for two-week repo tenders at 4.25%.
Interbank conditions influenced RBA decision
The Reserve Bank of Australia's rate-setting board decided to leave rates unchanged in November because of interbank tensions, minutes of the meeting published on Tuesday reveal.