Interest rates
Rate cut by Brazil's central bank chief
BRAZIL - Central bank governor Arminio Fraga's surprise move to cut interest rates marks a shift in strategy, and a gamble, as he weighs the need to contain inflation yet entice investors in a presidential election year.
Beijing set to cut rates as deflation fears return
CHINA - China is set to cut interest rates today for the first time in more than two-and-a-half years to combat a return of the deflationary pressures Beijing fought so hard to banish during the Asian financial crisis.
BoE's George plays down talk of jump in UK rates
UK - Bank of England Governor Sir Edward George warned financial markets on Tuesday they should not get too carried away with the idea that British interest rates are set to rise sharply this year.
ECB Feb bulletin - Reiterates Duisenberg remarks
GERMANY - The European Central Bank Thursday repeated that interest rates in the euro zone remain at an appropriate level and that it expects a gradual economic recovery this year.
UK inflation posts sharp rise
UK - UK inflation has soared unexpectedly, making an increase in interest rates in March more likely.
Bank of England keeps UK rates on hold
UK - The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold following its latest rate-setting meeting.
Bank of England - News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%, 7 February.
Fed minutes suggest rate hikes sooner than thought
US - A clearly recovering economy may allow the Fed to lift interest rates higher sooner, and by a wider margin, than currently projected - simply because the markets are prepared for such a development.
Welteke sees no need for rate cuts now - report
PORTUGAL - Current European Central Bank interest rates are appropriate and there is no need for a cut at this time, Bundesbank President and ECB governing council member Ernst Welteke said in a newspaper interview published Friday.
US keeps interest rates unchanged
US - The US central bank, the Federal Reserve, has left interest rates unchanged Wednesday at 1.75%, saying signs for an economic recovery were "promising".
Noyer - Rate cut possible, strong dollar a worry
GERMANY - European Central Bank Vice-President Christian Noyer says a slight cut in interest rates depends on the speed of economic recovery and the behaviour of wage negotiators, the Boersen-Zeitung reports.
Bank chiefs unanimous on rate freeze
UK - Bank of England gurus in charge of setting interest rates voted unanimously in favour of a rate freeze this month.
Speech by Eddie George, Bank of England Governor
SPEECH - In the speech Sir Edward said that the timing of any rise in interest rates would depend on the strength of the global recovery. He described himself as "reasonably optimistic" about the prospects of an improvement later in the year, but said…
Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged
UK - Bank of England chiefs have left interest rates on hold at 4%, despite increasing evidence of the strength of the UK economy.
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%.
Israel's regulatory easing
ARTICLE - Some $260 billion (290.39 billion euros) in Israeli financial assets is walled up inside the country by regulations, discriminatory taxes and investor conservatism, kept pacified by high domestic interest rates.
ECB interest rates unchanged
GERMANY - As widely expected the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged with officials largely focused this week on the launch of euro notes and coins.
Polish government demands rate cut
POLAND - The Polish government will take its demand for a cut in interest rates directly to the central bank's rate-setting monetary policy council by January 12th, said government spokesman Michal Tober following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Polish fin min seeks central bank truce
POLAND - Polish Finance Minister Marek Belka appears anxious to extend the olive branch in an escalating feud between the government and Poland's central bank over high interest rates and the surging zloty.
US interest rates cut again to 1.75%
US - The US Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 1.75%.
Anthrax found in Federal Reserve mail facility
US - The Federal Reserve Board that sets U.S. interest rates and guides the world's most powerful economy, announced on Thursday that mail possibly contaminated with anthrax had been found at its off-site postal facility set up to head off suspect mail.
U.S. Senate okays Bies, Olson to Fed board
US - The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed the nominations of bankers Susan Schmidt Bies and Mark Olson to the seven-member Federal Reserve Board, whose most visible job is setting U.S. interest rates.
Duisenberg - Current ECB rates appropriate
GERMANY - European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg Thursday justified the central bank's decision to leave interest rates unchanged by saying recent data confirmed the ECB's view that there are no immediate dangers for price stability in the euro…
Bank of England News Release
News Release - Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%.