Interest rates
UK interest rates kept on hold
UK - The Bank of England's monetary policy committee on Thursday voted to leave interest rates unchanged at 4 per cent, in a decision which underlined the fragility of the UK economic recovery.
Australia's reserve bank raises interest rates
AUSTRALIA - Australia's central bank has raised interest rates for the first time in almost two years in a bid to curb inflation and protect its booming economy.
US rates left on hold - for now
US - The US Federal Reserve has left interest rates unchanged at their current 40-year low of 1.75%, citing 'uncertain' growth prospects in the coming months.
ECB Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Monetary Policy Decisions, 2 May.
Eurozone interest rates left unchanged
EUROPE - Interest rates in the 12-nation eurozone have been kept on hold as expected at a regular ECB meeting held Thursday.
Greenspan dampens rate hike fears
US - The US Federal Reserve is expected to leave interest rates unchanged until an economic recovery in the US has gained a strong foothold, analysts said after having listened to a key speech by the Fed chairman Alan Greenspan.
Bank chief explains UK euro delay
UK - Sir Edward George, the governor of the Bank of England, has placed the loss of control over interest rates as a major reason behind the UK's reluctance to adopt the euro.
UK MPC member says further rate cuts not ruled out
UK - UK interest rates may still fall again if the world economy takes a turn for the worse, while the first increase in borrowing costs could be some way off, a member of Britain's monetary policy team told the Times.
Norges Bank keeps interest rates unchanged
PRESS RELEASE - Interest rates were left unchanged at Norges Bank's Executive Board meeting on 10 April. Norges Bank's key interest rate, the sight deposit rate, therefore remains at 6.50 per cent. The overnight lending rate also remains unchanged.
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%, 4 April.
ECB holds key interest rate unchanged at 3.25 pct
GERMANY - The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged on Thursday, reinforcing expectations its easing cycle had ended with the euro zone economy now on track to recovery.
Aus PM welcomes RBA decision not to raise rates
AUSTRALIA - Prime Minister John Howard has welcomed the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision not to increase interest rates at its meeting today.
Australia's RBA leaves rates unchanged at 4.25 pct
AUSTRALIA - The Reserve Bank of Australia Wednesday left interest rates unchanged following its April board meeting, despite expectations in some circles that it would begin the tightening cycle.
IMF stresses Polish c bank must remain independent
POLAND - The International Monetary Fund expects a limited reduction in official Polish interest rates in 2002, as 900 basis points of cuts over the past 12 months take effect, but it harshly criticized government coalition members' attacks on the…
Monetary policy in a virtual economy, 27 March
FEATURE - The Reserve Bank launches a web-based monetary policy computer simulation game today whereby the player fights inflation by controlling interest rates in a virtual economy. You play the Governor of the central bank and failure to keep inflation…
Polish MPC leaves rates steady despite pressure
POLAND - The National Bank of Poland (NBP) defied political pressure on Wednesday by leaving interest rates unchanged, matching market expectations but risking a run-in with the government over how to revive the economy, report Reuters.
Poll gives full marks to swift action of Fed
US - The US economy is highly unlikely to slip back into recession, but its recovery had far more to do with lower interest rates than tax cuts, according to a survey of leading economists issued yesterday.
Wadhwani - Current high interest rate policy risky
UK - Rising household debt and the possibility of a depreciation in sterling's exchange rate aren't sufficient grounds to keep interest rates higher than necessary, said one of the Bank of England's nine interest-rate setters Monday.
Interest rates may not rise says Bank governor
UK - Sir Edward George, governor of the Bank of England, yesterday hinted that interest rates may not need to rise this year.
Israeli cabinet OKs diluting cen bank chief power
ISRAEL - Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved sweeping changes to the way interest rates are set but analysts said the plans, which include setting up a monetary council, would weaken the central bank and harm the economy.
South Africa raises interest rates
SOUTH AFRICA - South Africa's Reserve Bank has raised interest rates by one percentage point to 11.5% to counter the inflationary impact of the rand's steep slide last year.
BIS-Central bankers see world economy improving
SWITZERLAND - Top central bankers see the world economy's prospects more positive than they did two months ago and expect key interest rates to rise only once a more broad-based recovery has been firmly established, Bank of England Governor Sir Edward…
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Bank of England Maintains Interest Rates at 4.0%, 7 March.
Ethiopia slashes interest rates
ETHIOPIA - The Ethiopian central bank has halved interest rates to 3%, due to plunging deflation, weakening trade and investment and the global economic slowdown.