Interest rates
Hungary defies government calls for cuts
National Bank of Hungary keeps benchmark rate flat at all-time low; decision will further anger new government, which has called for steeper cuts and easy money
Libor climbs as uncertainty in European markets grows
Libor rises to highest in more than ten months as lending in European markets slows down
Bank of Canada: contractionary monetary shocks outweigh expansionary ones
Bank of Canada study shows that contractionary monetary policy shocks have more impact on output than expansionary shocks
Rate round-up: Israel opts to hold
Israeli, Kenyan, Turkish and Serbian central banks’ rates remain unchanged
FOMC minutes reveals divergent views on timing of asset sales
Federal Reserve minutes outlines discussions over an asset sale programme at the FOMC meetings in April
BoE minutes: Bank held rates on delayed recovery
Bank of England minutes show key rate was left at 0.5% on continued uncertainty over pick-up in economic growth
Policy forecasts: a new frontier in communication
Jakob de Haan weighs up the pros and cons for central banks considering publishing interest rate paths
A return to complexity: economic policy after the crisis
The crisis has challenged the fundamentals of the prevailing macroeconomic orthodoxy. Policymakers must recognise this and adopt new frameworks accordingly, Sir John Gieve argues
BoK bristles at government presence during rate-setting vote
Bank of Korea governor Kim Choong Soo calls for change in government involvement in monetary-policy meetings; tensions threaten to escalate into full-blown row
SARB points to pitfalls of exchange rate rigidity
South African Reserve Bank keeps rates flat as inflation outlook remains steady, advisor says exchange rates an important policy tool
RBA: emerging Asia behind inflationary pressures
Reserve Bank of Australia says growth in emerging Asia is adding to inflationary pressures at home in its Monetary Policy Statement
Ex-governor Fraser knocks RBA’s rapid hikes
Former Reserve Bank of Australia chief Bernie Fraser says central bank has been too eager in its rate hikes given the European debt crisis and its potential impact on growth worldwide
Rate round-up: Czech National Bank cuts on eurozone woe
Romania and Iceland also loosen; Australia, Peru and Norway raise rates by 25 basis points, Egypt and Indonesia hold
Bank of Israel - Inflation Report Q1 2010
Bank of Israel report shows interest rates likely to continue rising
China lifts reserve ratio on fears over inflows, Australia hikes again
People’s Bank of China raises reserve requirement ratio by 0.5% as concern mounts on currency speculators; Reserve Bank of Australia tightens as data suggest growth will outstrip 2009
Japan to make 'new efforts' to boost growth
Bank of Japan introduces new pledge to help lay foundations for strong growth, says it will set up temporary facility to support lending to business
Rate round-up: Brazil hikes, most hold, Russia cuts
Brazil raises policy rate to 9.5%, Russia cuts to 8.25%; United States, Poland and New Zealand hold
Hungary cuts as critical opposition sweep to power
National Bank of Hungary trims rates by 25 bps as opposition election victory puts central bank on collision course with incoming government; former governor expected to be named finance minister
Israel welcomes new law, no sign of rate-setters yet
Bank of Israel law creating a six-member Monetary Committee officially passed and governor Stanley Fischer thanks those who contributed, government has not yet begun search for external members
Don't raise rates too late, ECB's Bini Smaghi warns
ECB board member Bini Smaghi offers recommendations to policymakers on strategy towards tightening policy
Canada scraps commitment to hold rates; signals hike
Bank of Canada drops conditional commitment to hold overnight rate at 0.25%; pledge one of a number made by central banks to soothe markets’ nerves
India hikes again as food price inflation catches on
Reserve Bank of India raises both repo and reverse repo rates by 25 basis points as headline inflation stops just short of 10%, draws $1.25 trillion out of system
SF Fed's Yellen says low rates appropriate
San Francisco Federal Reserve president says Fed can rely on interest on reserves to keep balance sheet large
Thailand likely to postpone hike as protests turn bloody
Bank of Thailand will put off rate normalisation till June in order to soothe markets rattled by clashes between anti-government protestors and army, say analysts