Interest rates
BOJ in no hurry to raise rates says Haru
The Bank of Japan is in no hurry to raise short-term interest rates in the absence of an immediate inflation risk, BOJ board member Hidehiko Haru said in a speech Thursday 8 February.
Germany's Steinbrueck backs ECB's independence
German finance minister Peer Steinbrueck said Wednesday 7 February that the independence of the European Central Bank, which has received criticism from some French politicians, must be respected.
ECB seeks to preserve its independence
This article from the Associated Press, published Tuesday 6 February, looks at the debate over whether countries that use the euro should have an influence on its decision-making process.
Ito says BoJ must explain policy better
A member of the Japanese government's top economic council said on Monday 5 February in an interview with Reuters the Bank of Japan should promote accountability and transparency in its monetary policy as it has not been doing a good job in communicating…
Bahrain's Crown Prince has doubts on GCC deadline
In an interview published Monday 5 February, Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain cast doubt on a 2010 deadline for monetary union in the region and said his country and the five other GCC states still had some issues to resolve on…
PBOC's Gang says China to step up liquidity fight
A senior official at the People's Bank of China said on Sunday 4 February that China had mopped up much of the excess liquidity derived from massive trade and investment flows but must stay alert to keep money supply and credit in check.
The RBI's Jekyll and Hyde act
This article from The Economic Times, published Monday 5 February, asks why the Reserve Bank of India's latest monetary policy review reads like a thriller but pulls up short at the last minute.
'Slim' chance of return to deflation says Fukui
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui told parliament on Friday that the risks of a return to deflation were low for the world's second largest economy.
BoE's Besley says data 'drip-feed' prompted hike
Bank of England MPC member Timothy Besley said in an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday 1 February he was concerned inflation would not fall as quickly as the bank would like.
PBOC 'closely monitoring' property prices - report
China's central bank is "closely monitoring" domestic property prices, state media quoted the People's Bank of China governor as saying Tuesday 30 January.
Norway's Bergo on interest rate projections
In the speech 'Interest rate projections in theory and practice' given on 26 January Jarle Bergo of the Norges Bank said the benefit of commitment hinges on the credibility of the central bank's actions and communication.
Europe's uneven growth challenge
According to this article on the Project Syndicate website, growth has become less evenly balanced throughout the eurozone with the resurgence in German growth.
ECB policy still accommodating says Bini Smaghi
ECB board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said Saturday 27 January in a speech in Milan that current eurozone interest rates are still "accommodating" and will continue to be so in the coming months.
ECB's Trichet sees risk of inflation spiral
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet told French television there is a risk of an increase in inflation in the eurozone and noted that ECB rates are well below those of the US Fed.
The Bank of Japan's big mistake
According to this article by Stephen Roach, published on Friday 26 January by Money Week, the Bank of Japan has dealt a stunning blow to central bank independence.
ECB's Weber says rates must keep rising
ECB governing council member Axel Weber said on Friday 26 January must keep withdrawing monetary stimulus from the euro zone economy.
Kansas Fed's Hoenig on monetary policy in 2007
In the speech 'The national economy and monetary policy in 2007' given on 19 January Thomas Hoenig of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said there has been a discrepancy lately between the views of FOMC members, as summarised in the Committee's…
RBNZ's Bollard signals rates may rise
The Reserve bank of New Zealand said Thursday 25 January it will probably raise the benchmark interest rate from a record-high 7.25 percent because a surge in consumer spending and house prices may fuel inflation.
Interview with Bank of Japan's Fukui
In an interview with Reuters, published on Wednesday 24 January, Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said he is not sure how quickly board members can agree on lifting rates.
Rates should rise if confident, says BoJ's Suda
The Bank of Japan needs to avoid spending too much time examining data and policy makers should raise interest rates as long as they're confident in the outlook for the economy, BoJ board member Miyako Suda said in a speech Thursday 25 January.
BoE's King on UK inflation and monetary policy
In a speech given on 23 January Mervyn King of the Bank of England said inflation in the UK could fall quite sharply this year and that there was room for reasonable people to disagree about the timing or level of interest rate changes. On Wednesday the…
Minutes show BoE split 5-4 on rate increase
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted 5-4 in favour of the surprise rate hike on 11 January, minutes of the meeting published Wednesday 24 January showed.
BoJ policymakers say rate rise is likely
A few Bank of Japan policymakers said the central bank should raise interest rates in January if it were to gain confidence about the economic outlook, according to minutes of the policy board's December meeting, which were released Tuesday 23 January.
Bini Smaghi says ECB rate may rise further
ECB board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi told La Repubblica in an interview published Tuesday 23 January that the ECB's rate is "still accommodating" and may have to rise further if growth expectations are confirmed to avoid excess liquidity.