Interest rates
Bank of Canada's speech for 25 August cancelled
A speech that Bank of Canada deputy governor Sheryl Kennedy was due to give in New Brunswick on 25 August has been cancelled, the central bank said on Thursday 19 August.
In search of King's defence
Two articles published Thursday reflected on the Bank of England's last MPC meeting which saw the governor outvoted for the first time. One says the UK's "boring" monetary policy just got a whole lot more interesting, noting that heavyweight Charlie Bean…
Oil-market frenzy and the Fed
This editorial by The Washington Times, published on Tuesday 16 August, says the job of the Federal Reserve has become far more complicated today. Today, following years in which international financial markets have been increasingly integrated, global…
Bank of England MPC Minutes, 3 & 4 August
The minutes from the 3 & 4 August meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee published on Wednesday 17 August showed governor Mervyn King and three other top officials voted against this month's decision by the nine member MPC to cut…
SNB says rates won't stay low for long
A recovery in the Swiss economy will probably take interest rates higher sooner rather later, according to a central bank board member in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday 17 August.
Fed is content with size, pace of rate increases
This article published on Wednesday 10 August suggests why impatient analysts are wrong to complain that the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates too slowly.
Korea suggests it may hike rates
The Bank of Korea said on Thursday 11 August that it would consider increasing interest rates if the economy recovered fully.
Italian economy minister wants ECB rate cut
Italy's deputy economy minister Mario Baldassari said he favours the European Central Bank cutting its interest rates, as well as the euro being valued at parity with the dollar.
Australian govt to quiz RBA chief on economy
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Ian Macfarlane will be grilled Friday 12 August on the chances of another rate rise, or possibly a rate cut, in coming months.
German finance minister calls for ECB rate cut
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Clement called on the European Central Bank to cut interest rates, saying it was "remarkably" more reserved than other central banks.
Fed raises rates, maintains measured stance
The Federal Open Market Committee decided on Tuesday 9 August to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 3-1/2 percent. The FOMC maintained its measured stance on monetary policy accommodation.
Why interest rates could plunge as low as 3.5%
The 6th May 1997 is a date that is burnt into the minds of Bank of England employees, according to this article published on Monday 8 August. Since being granted its independence, the Bank has built up an eight-year track record of independent thought…
ECB's Issing sees positive signals on economy
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said in an interview there have been a series of positive signals on the economy, but said high oil price could curb growth.
Bank of England reduces rates by 0.25%
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted on Thursday 4 August to reduce the Bank's repo rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.5%.
ECB rates on hold a while longer says Stark
The ECB's decision not to change rates at its meeting on Thursday 4 August was foreshadowed in a newspaper interview with Bundesbank Vice President Juergen Stark who said muted price pressures allow rates to remain on hold for a while longer.
Costello says RBA decision reflects solid growth
Treasurer Peter Costello said the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to leave interest rates at 5.5 per cent after its monthly board meeting on Wednesday 3 August reflects continuing solid economic growth in the country.
Bank of England set to cut interest rates
The Bank of England is widely expected to reduce UK interest rates when it concludes its 100th Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Thursday 4 August.
BoE's Large fuels rate cut talk
Bank of England policy maker Andrew Large gave an interview on Wednesday 27 July which is likely to fuel expectations that UK interest rates would fall next week for the first time in two years.
Bank of England MPC Minutes, 6 & 7 July
The minutes from the 6 & 7 July meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee published on Wednesday 20 July showed policy makers voted 5-4 to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.75%.
Luxembourg's Mersch indicates unchanged ECB rate
European Central Bank Governing Council member and Luxembourg central bank president Yves Mersch indicated in an interview the ECB will keep its key rates unchanged despite higher oil prices.
Wellink does not expect ECB rate cut
Dutch central bank president Nout Wellink said in an interview he does not expect the European Central Bank to have to cut interest rates.
Bank of Canada keeps interest rates at 2.5%
The Bank of Canada announced on Tuesday 12 July that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 2 1/2 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is unchanged, and the Bank Rate remains at 2 3/4 per cent.
Fed's Hoenig says US rate moves to depend on data
Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig said on Friday 8 July that the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy is currently accommodative and how fast official rates move to neutral will depend on incoming economic data.
Fed's Lacker says too early to foresee Fed pause
Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker said on Monday 11 July it was too soon to say when the U.S. central bank would end its year-long campaign of interest-rate rises and indicated more increases were likely.