Interest rates
Pianalto on monetary policy & the economic outlook
In the speech 'Monetary policy and the economic outlook' given on 6 November Sandra Pianalto of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland warned that another hike in U.S. interest rates might be warranted if inflation failed to fall fast enough to satisfy…
Trichet defends money supply data use by ECB
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet defended the ECB's use of money supply data to guide interest rate decisions, in an article published by the Financial Times on Thursday 9 November.
BOJ's Mizuno says gradual rate hikes needed
Bank of Japan policy board member Atsushi Mizuno said on Wednesday 8 November the central bank should gradually increase interest rates as long as recent weakness in economic indicators proves to be temporary.
Bank of England moves rates higher as expected
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted Thursday 9 November to raise UK interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 5.0%.
BoJ likely to raise interest rates before year end
Speaking at a seminar in Tokyo on Tuesday 7 November, the governor of the Bank of Japan, Toshihiko Fukui, indicated that he would be in favour of raising interest rates in anticipation of higher inflation.
RBA raises rates to 6.25%
The Reserve Bank of Australia has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 6.25% as widely expected, after its monthly monetary policy meeting on Wednesday 8 November.
Fed gets ambiguous data, no reasons for a change
Federal Reserve officials are likely to keep US interest rates unchanged at their next meeting, according to this article from Bloomberg published Tuesday 7 November.
Fed's Pianalto says US can withstand housing slump
The U.S. economy will withstand the housing slump and grow at a ``moderate'' pace with slowing inflation, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank president Sandra Pianalto said Monday 6 November.
IMF's Lipsky calls for SA vigilance on rates
South Africa has responded "appropriately" to rising inflationary pressure but needs to remain vigilant, IMF first deputy managing director John Lipsky said on Tuesday 7 November.
Polls see BoE raising rates 0.25% next week
The Bank of England is set to raise rates by a quarter point next week according to two recent City polls.
BoJ's Fukui says rate hike will be carefully timed
Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui said Thursday 2 November that the central bank will take monetary policy action "not too early or too late," for a second rate hike in the current gradual credit-tightening cycle.
Trichet maintains expectations of rate hike
Speaking at the post-meeting press conference on Thursday 2 November European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet endorsed market expectations of a further ECB interest rate hike at its December meeting.
Nov rate hike is 'not a done deal' says BoE's King
Mervyn King, the Bank of England's governor, told the House of Lords on Tuesday 31 October that speculation of another interest rate hike in November is not a "done deal".
ECB's Bini Smaghi on monetary tightening
In the speech 'Three questions on monetary tightening' given on 26 October Lorenzo Bini Smaghi of the ECB said central banks face a difficult task in deciding when to stop tightening monetary policy.
RBNZ holds rates unchanged, Sweden hikes
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand left its official cash rate unchanged at 7.25 pct on Thursday 26 October reflecting slowing economic growth. Swedish interest rates were raised in a widely expected move.
France's Breton hopes for ECB rate pause
French finance minister Thierry Breton said in an interview published Wednesday 25 October he hopes for a halt to interest rate hikes by the European Central Bank next year.
ECB's Wellink says rates still 'very low'
European Central Bank council member Nout Wellink said in an interview published Monday 23 October interest rates in the euro region are ``very low'' and the speed of economic growth could risk fueling inflation.
NBH to change framework of issuing press releases
The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) announced on Thursday 19 October that it is changing its practice of issuing press releases on the Monetary Council's regular rate-setting meetings.
BoE's Lomax does not see economic boom coming
Bank of England deputy governor Rachel Lomax said in an interview published Thursday 19 October that recent increases in UK house prices are not a sign that the UK is set for another boom in the economy.
ECB should not look far ahead on rates - IMF
IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan warned the European Central Bank on Wednesday 18 October not to have a predetermined plan for further increases in eurozone rates but to base decisions on economic data.
ECB 'attentive' to inflation risk- Gonzalez-Paramo
ECB board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo refused to contradict market expectations of another eurozone rate hike in December, Expansion reported on Thursday 19 October.
ECB's Liebscher sees December rate hike
European Central Bank governing council member Klaus Liebscher told the FAZ newspaper on Wednesday 18 October that market expectations of a December interest rate increase are accurate, but said the ECB has no pre-determined view on rates for 2007.
Interview with Central Bank of Ireland's Hurley
Irish central bank governor John Hurley told the Financial Times in an interview published Wednesday 18 October that rising eurozone interest rates are starting to cool the booming Irish housing market, but economic growth in the country will remain…
Bank of England voted 7-2 to hold rates
The Bank of England's two newest Monetary Policy Committee members, Andrew Sentance and Timothy Besley, both voted for higher interest rates at this month's meeting, minutes released Wednesday 18 October showed.