Interest rates
BOJ's Muto says policy shift will be slow
Bank of Japan deputy governor Toshiro Muto said Thursday 5 October that the BoJ will conduct monetary policy changes "slowly" by closely monitoring the economic and financial climate.
Monetary and prudential policies at a crossroads?
The BIS Working Paper "Monetary and prudential policies at a crossroads? New challenges in the new century" argues that financial liberalisation has resulted in subtle but profound changes in the dynamics of the economy and in the challenges faced by…
St. Louis Fed's Poole on data dependence
In the speech 'Data dependence' given on 29 September William Poole of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said inflation must be kept under wraps, but if both growth and price pressures were sufficiently weak, he would back a reduction in U.S…
RBA Financial Stability Review, September 2006
The Reserve Bank of Australia published the September 2006 edition of its Financial Stability Review on Thursday 28 September. Household balance sheets are in reasonable shape despite recent interest rate hikes, according to the latest Review.
Fed's Hoenig says lags slowing rate impact
Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Hoenig said on Wednesday 27 September that the impact of previous interest rate increases has not been fully felt yet and must be considered by the FOMC at future meetings.
Japan's new fin min says BOJ taking proper steps
New Japanese Finance Minister Koji Omi said Wednesday 27 September foreign-exchange rates should move in line with the strength of their underlying economies.
BOJ's Iwata says slow rate rise likely as economy
Japanese interest rates will rise slowly and gradually if the economy continues to grow and prices keep rising, Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Kazumasa Iwata said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday 26 September.
MPC considered rate rise says BoE's Gieve
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee considered raising interest rates for the second consecutive month in September, deputy governor Sir John Gieve told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview published Monday 25 September.
SARB's Mboweni warns rates may have to rise
South Africa's central bank warned on Thursday 21 September that a large deficit on the country's current account could force interest rates higher.
Fed, staying put, seeks signals for next move
This article published Thursday 21 September by Bloomberg says that the Federal Reserve's decision to leave US interest rates unchanged on Wednesday indicates they still want to see how matters unfold before doing anything else.
Dodge adviser says statements can be mis-read
An advisor to Bank of Canada governor David Dodge said on Wednesday 20 September that investors sometimes read too much into the statements announcing central bank interest-rate decisions, and may look for clues that aren't there.
ECB report on interest rate differences
The European Central Bank published a report on differences in MFI interest rates across euro area countries on 20 September. In the report the ECB said interest rates charged by banks vary widely between euro zone countries.
ECB Liikanen says more rate hikes needed
The European Central Bank will have to raise interest rates again if it is to keep inflation under control, Finnish central bank chief Erkki Liikanen said in a newspaper interview published Wednesday 20 September.
BoE minutes show inflation concerns worry MPC
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee members said in minutes released Wednesday 20 September that inflation is likely to speed-up and growth will stay around the long-term average.
Barker says MPC surprised by house price jump
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member Kate Barker told the Daily Telegraph the recent jump in UK house prices has surprised the MPC.
Gonzalez-Paramo says ECB 'strongly vigilant'
European Central Bank Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said on Monday 18 September that eurozone interest rates were low and the ECB was strongly vigilant over risks to inflation.
Market stable after rate hike, BOJ minutes show
Bank of Japan board members agreed in minutes released Wednesday 13 September that the money market had been stable after it raised interest rates in July for the first time in six years.
SF Fed's Yellen says rates may have to go up
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Janet Yellen reiterated Tuesday 12 September her concerns about inflation, and again said now is a time for policy makers to gauge how past interest-rate hikes are affecting the economy.
Mizuno says BOJ to gradually lift rates
Bank of Japan board member Atsushi Mizuno said in an interview published Wednesday 13 September policy makers remain committed to gradually raising interest rates even after recent signs of slower economic growth.
Macfarlane disappointed by election comments
The Reserve Bank of Australia believes the Coalition's 2004 election promise to keep interest rates lower than Labor compromised the independence of the central bank in the minds of many voters.
Report says Bernanke wants more democratic Fed
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is trying to depersonalise the Fed by making its decision-making more democratic and easier to understand, The Wall Street Journal reported late on Friday 8 September.
ECB's Weber says 2007 rate outlook open
European Central Bank council member Axel Weber told reporters in Frankfurt late on Tuesday 5 September that eurozone interest rates may have to rise next year.
Trichet says ECB's rate message is clear
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Monday 4 September that his message on interest rates following last Thursday's policy meeting is clear.
OECD raises Eurozone, UK growth forecasts
The OECD raised its 2006 growth forecasts for the Eurozone and UK on Tuesday 5 September, but kept its forecast for US growth unchanged and lowered its projection for Japan.