Interest rates
BoE's Nickell sees UK inflation checked
Spare capacity in the UK economy will help lower inflationary pressures, and will keep inflation below the Bank of England's target, according to outgoing Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member, Steve Nickell.
Rato says more Fed hikes may be needed
International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato said on Monday 22 May that the Federal Reserve may need to continue raising interest rates depending upon how US economic conditions evolve.
Bank of England's next move should be a rate cut
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee would be making a mistake if it raises UK interest rates, according to this article published Wednesday 17 May.
Launch of BoE's new framework
The Bank of England launched its new framework for the implementation of monetary policy to modernise sterling money markets on Thursday 18 May.
Minutes show BoE split 3 ways on rates
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was split three ways on this month's decision to keep interest rates at 4.5 percent, minutes released on Wednesday 17 May showed.
Comment: Bank of Japan update
The Bank of Japan's monetary policy committee meets this week with an interest rate decision expected on Friday. With any ideas of an imminent rate hike all but ruled out, the emerging consensus is that the shift could come in July.
BoJ's Fukui on the outlook for Japan's economy
In the speech 'The outlook for Japan's economy and the conduct of monetary policy' given on 15 May Toshihiko Fukui of the Bank of Japan said completing the process of reducing excess funds in the banking system and raising short-term interest rates are…
No set course for rates says ECB's Noyer
Bank of France governor Christian Noyer said on Tuesday 16 May that the European Central Bank has not decided on a predetermined direction for eurozone interest rates and will consider the economic data.
How bold a move from the ECB?
According to this article published Friday 12 May, a rate increase at the European Central Bank's upcoming meeting is almost certain, with estimates ranging between 25 and 50 basis points.
Comment: Inflation expectations
Ever since Milton Friedman's famous analysis of the "leads and lags" between interest rate changes and price- and output movements in 1961, the need for "forward-looking" monetary policy has been universally accepted.
BoE's new money market framework
The Bank of England published on Monday 15 May the lists of banks and building societies participating at the launch of its new framework for implementing the Monetary Policy Committee's interest rate decisions.
RBI's Reddy on global imbalances
In the speech 'Global imbalances - An Indian perspective' given on 11 May Dr.Y.V.Reddy of the Reserve Bank of India said any large adjustments in major currencies and global interest rates would have a significant impact on the economy.
Fed raises rates to 5%
The Federal Open Market Committee decided Wednesday 10 May to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 5 percent. In its statement the FOMC said "some further policy firming may yet be needed."
Swedish Riksbank's board unanimous on decision
The minutes of the Swedish Riksbank's monetary policy meeting on 27 April showed it was unanimous in its decision to leave the repo rate unchanged at 2%.
Wages no bar to Fed pause after move tomorrow
There's no reason for Federal Reserve officials to stop thinking about a pause in raising interest rates after going to 5 percent when they meet tomorrow (Wednesday), according to this article published Tuesday 9 May.
Bank of Israel publishes minutes
The Bank of Israel said on Monday 8 May it will publish the minutes of meetings in which interest rates are fixed each month from now on.
SNB's Blattner says rates will rise 'gradually'
Swiss National Bank vice-president Niklaus Blattner said on Friday 5 May that Swiss interest rates would continue to rise "gradually" to ensure longer term price stability.
Comment: Unravelling the RBA hike
The Reserve Bank of Australia has joined the world's leading central banks in tightening mode. Last week's rate rise was largely unexpected and opinion is split over how far the central bank will go in hiking rates this year.
China needs more Volcker and less Greenspan
According to this article published Monday 1 May, China's recent increase in interest rates may have the opposite effect to what was intended. The move may boost the economy, instead of slowing it, it says.
Comment: Trichet sounds his warning
After having made it clear that an interest rate increase was highly unlikely, the ECB's monetary policy meeting this week was all about how to signal future rate hikes pencilled in for later this year. Jean-Claude Trichet's message yesterday, 3 May, was…
Information & interest rate-setting central banks
The Working Paper "How much information should interest rate-setting central banks reveal?" extends Morris and Shin's model to the case where the central bank must anyway convey some information by setting the interest rate.
ECB signals June rate rise
At the ECB's post-meeting press conference, after holding eurozone interest rates unchanged, on Thursday 4 May Jean-Claude Trichet said the Governing Council will exercise strong vigilance in order to ensure that risks to price stability over the medium…
RBA raises interest rates 0.25%
The Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates to a 5-year high of 5.75% on Wednesday 3 May. "The Board judged at its May meeting that inflationary risks had increased sufficiently to warrant an increase in the cash rate," RBA governor Ian…
Too early to declare end of deflation - Koizumi
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters on Tuesday 2 May that it's too early to declare an end to deflation in Japan.