News/Monetary Policy
LDP Yamamoto - Won't keep axe over BOJ gov head
JAPAN - Pumping up the pressure on the Bank of Japan to ease credit further to halt deflation, a leading ruling party critic of the central bank has moved a step closer to taking the BOJ Law into his own hands.
Argentina looks to $6bn IMF loan
ARGENTINA - Argentine officials are confident of winning support for a new loan of $6bn or more from the International Monetary Fund to help the country contain the crisis of confidence engulfing its economy.
Polish opposition party blasts central bank policy
POLAND - Poland's opposition social democrats, tipped to win general elections in September, blasted the central bank on 4 September for ignoring a slowing economy and mounting unemployment in its ambitious anti-inflation drive.
Euro notes designer will escape launch controversy
AUSTRIA - When the euro enters circulation in January, the man responsible for the look of a the new notes is planning to take his family on a long holiday - outside Europe.
E-day countdown - ECB ad campaign to roll 1 Sept
GERMANY - European Central Bank chiefs begin their annual break this week knowing that when they return from their holidays the push to make the euro a reality in the lives of millions of Europeans must begin in earnest.
Austrians 'underestimate' euro
AUSTRIA - According to a survey published on 3 August, the euro is not an issue for most Austrians. A majority of 62 per cent have not or almost not informed themselves on the new currency, only 13 per cent consider themselves as "very interested" in the…
Why the Bank changed its mind
UK - Mervyn King will have some explaining to do when he presents the Bank of England's inflation report next week writes the FT in London, 3 August.
Myanmar introduces measures to stabilise currency
MYANMAR - Deciding to dine out in Myanmar will no longer be a headache of currency proportions for many diners in the country, reports Channel News Asia.
Argentina's Blejer to become central bank VP
ARGENTINA - Mario Blejer, a former International Monetary Fund economist and top aide to Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo, will become vice president of the country's Central Bank, an official at the monetary authority confirmed on 2 August.
Chicago Fed: Recession risks rising
US - The risk that the U.S. economy is in a recession rose in June to its highest level this year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said on 2 August as it released its monthly index of U.S. economic activity.
Surprise cut in UK interest rates
UK - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has cut interest rates by 0.25%.
Bank of England committee reduces interest rates
UK - Bank of England Reduces Interest Rates by 0.25% to 5.0%
ECB press release - Interest rates unchanged
EUROPE - The European Central Bank has left all its key interest rates unchanged following its governing council meeting this morning.
Hungary aims to introduce euro in 2006
HUNGARY - The government expects that Hungary will introduce the euro as its currency as of 1 January 2006, Zsigmond Jarai, head of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) said at a business conference on 26 July.
Politician says Koizumi agrees to ask BOJ to ease
JAPAN - Senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Hideyuki Aizawa said 1 August he and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agreed on the need to call for the Bank of Japan to ease further.
Bank set to defy rate cut calls
UK - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is widely expected to leave UK interest rates unchanged, despite a mixed picture for the British economy. The MPC began its monthly meeting today, 1 August, and is due to reveal its interest rate…
Hungarian bank says June deficit was misprint
HUNGARY - The National Bank of Hungary said on 1 August that the figure of EUR129.2 million for the June current account deficit, published in its quarterly inflation report 1 August, was a misprint.
Lebanon needs stable currency - Bank governor
LEBANON - A stable currency is needed for successful privatisation of state-owned companies, Banque du Liban (Central Bank of Lebanon) Governor Riad Salameh said on 30 July.
Manila c bank says no need to print more money
PHILIPPINES - There was no danger that monetary authorities would be forced to print more money to pay for government debts, Philippine central bank governor Rafael Buenaventura said on 31 July.
World Bank names two new country directors
US - The World Bank yesterday, 30 July, named two new country directors for Thailand and the Philippines.
World Bank hires senior adviser to president
US - The World Bank has appointed Yukio Yoshimura as senior advisor to the president of the World Bank Group, James Wolfensohn.
Iran's central bank governor returned to office
IRAN - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is scheduled to announce his second cabinet next week. Unofficial reports say that Khatami's next cabinet would not have serious changes in its political makeup, despite the change in characters.
Zimbabwe c bank says support plan aids gold mines
ZIMBABWE - Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank said today, 31 July, a support programme for gold producers introduced earlier this year had helped boost production in a sector where high costs had threatened several mines with collapse.
Central Europe govt's on collision with c-banks
CZECH REPUBLIC - With elections due in all three of central Europe's leading economies in the next year, governments seeking to raise public sector spending risk bruising rows with their central banks.