Monetary Policy
IMF urges Indonesia to maintain tight mon policy
INDONESIA - An IMF official has suggested that Bank Indonesia should be more flexible in adopting tight monetary, which is aimed at curbing the inflation and reducing pressure on the rupiah.
New Kenya cbank governor to focus on inflation
KENYA - Kenya's new central bank governor said on Apr 24 the bank's focus would remain on controlling inflation and addressing supply side constraints hindering economic growth.
Britain will escape global slowdown
UK - Details revealed in a leaked IMF report suggest that Britain will escape the worst of the global economic slowdown and will fare better than its european rivals.
IMF consultation approves Canada inflation target
CANADA - The International Monetary Fund said in a statement following its annual article IV consultation that there appeared to be no compelling reason for the Bank of Canada to change its inflation target.
Bank disclosure currently inadequate
EUROPE - Survey reveals banks still have ground to make up to meet disclosure requirements.
What is wrong with Taylor Rules?
ARTICLE - Lars Svensson, professor of economics at Stockholm University, has published an article "What is Wrong with Taylor Rules? Using Judgment in Monetary Policy through Targeting Rules". In the paper, Svensson says that Taylor Rules are an…
Argentina Cavallo to recommend removing Pou-papers
ARGENTINA -Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo will recommend the firing of Central Bank President Pedro Pou, local newspapers reported on Apr 22.
Solbes rebuffs O'Neill over interest rate cuts
EUROPE - European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pedro Solbes on Apr 23 raised the heat ahead of a meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers by rejecting U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill's prescription for the euro zone.
Bank of France sees Q1 consumer spending rebound
FRANCE - French consumer spending, seen as the nation's best buffer against the impact of international economic slowdown, is believed to have rebounded in the first quarter of 2001, the Bank of France said on Apr 23.
Bank of Israel strike postpones interest rate cut
ISRAEL - In an unprecedented move, the Bank of Israel said on Apr 22 that it would delay its May interest rate decision because an internal labour dispute has disrupted the flow of key statistical information and analsyis.
Czech cbanker sees no CPI impact from deficit
CZECH REPUBLIC - Czech central bank Vice-Governor Oldrich Dedek said on Apr 23 the poor state of public finances remains a concern but he expects to see no inflationary impact from it in 2001.
Yen weak vs dollar - ex-MOF Sakakibara-Kyodo
JAPAN - The yen is likely to remain weak against the dollar for the time being, Eisuke Sakakibara, a former vice finance minister for international affairs, said in an interview with Kyodo News this week.
EU president's statement after Ecofin meeting
EUROPE - Following is the text of an introductory statement by the European Union's Swedish president following the first session of the informal Ecofin meeting on Apr 21.
Eastern Europe, CIS face slower growth-EBRD report
EASTERN EUROPE - Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union face a sharp reduction in economic growth and a growing imperative to step up the pace of reform, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said on Apr 22.
Inflation targeting and the liquidity trap
ARTICLE - Bennett McCallum from the National Bureau of Economic Research has published an article on "Inflation Targeting and the Liquidity Trap". The paper says that 'liquidity trap' issues do not have an important bearing on the desirability of…
Foreign exchange origins of Japan's economic slump
ARTICLE - Ronald McKinnon from Stanford University and Kenichi Ohno from Tokyo's National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies have written an article on "The Foreign Exchange Origins of Japan's Economic Slump and Low Interest Liquidity Trap". The…
EMU not all it's cracked up to be
ARTICLE - Fabrice Collard and Harris Dellas from the Centre for Economic and Policy Research have published a paper "Exchange Rate Systems and Macroeconomic Stability". One of the article's vital conclusions is that the justification of the single…
Developments in the Japanese government bond mkt
CENTRAL BANK RESEARCH - The Bank of Japan has published a new reseach paper "Market Participants' Behavior and Pricing Mechanisms in the JGB Markets". In this paper, which is based on interviews with market participants, the authors explore various…
O'Neill mystified by Europe's complacency-FT
EUROPE - Paul O'Neill, U.S. Treasury secretary, said on Apr 19 that he was "mystified" by European leaders' claims that Europe would not be affected much by a U.S. downturn, the Apr 20 overseas edition of the Financial Times reported.
RBI may cut India bank rate Q2 of 01/02-JP Morgan
INDIA - India's central bank, which on Apr 19 released a monetary policy statement without any changes in rates, is expected to lower its benchmark bank rate later this year, JP Morgan Securities India said in a research report.
India may cut interest rates
INDIA - India's central bank has indicated an intention to cut interest rates to help revive the slowing economy. The governor made his comments at a presentation on monetary policy for this year.
ECB says bases policy on too slow, inaccurate data
GERMANY - The European Central Bank said on Apr 19 that the data on which it based policy decisions was often not timely or accurate enough for the job.
Debelle becomes RBA head of economic analysis
AUSTRALIA - The Reserve Bank of Australia has appointed Dr Guy Debelle as head of the economic analysis department, replacing Malcolm Edey.
Nigeria's cbank up banks' cash deposit to 40%
NIGERIA - Nigeria's Central Bank on Apr 19 announced it has raised the percentage of deposits that banks must now keep in cash to 40 percent from 35 percent.