Monetary Policy
Greek monetary policy report stresses convergence
REPORT: Competitiveness and productivity are key to Greece's economic convergence with the rest of the eurozone, according to the latest report on monetary policy from the Bank of Greece, submitted to parliament yesterday.
IMF data quality framework
RESEARCH - New IMF working paper considers standards for data quality.
ECB keeps rates steady despite growth fears
As expected, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank held interest rates steady (at its March 15 meeting yesterday) undeterred by weak share markets and dimming euro zone growth prospects.
ECB monetary analysis papers
RESEARCH - The ECB has today (March 16) published a series of papers from a seminar for staff from central banks entitled "Monetary analysis: Tools and applications" held in November 2000.
Govt pressures BoJ to cut rates back to zero
NEWS - The Bank of Japan is under severe pressure from the Japanese government to cut interest rates back to zero at its monetary policy meeting on Monday 19 March.
Tajik central bank retires rouble
NEWS - The National Bank of Tajikistan has set an April 1 deadline for citizens to exchange their old Tajik rouble banknotes for the new currency (Somoni and dirams)
First council members for Montenegran central bank
NEWS - the new central bank council for Montenego's fledgling monetary authority was appointed on 15 March by the Montenegrin assembly. It includes current deputy prime minister Ljubisa Krgovic.
Philippines to hit inflation target
NEWS - Philippine Central Bank Governor Rafael Buenaventura has said that he expects the central bank confortably to meet the 6% - 7% inflation target set by the Philippine government.
The Accidental Redistribution of ECB Profits
ARTICLE - According to the latest calculations of Hans-Wener Sinn and Holgar Feist, the division of European Central Bank profits will see Germany lose E. 30bn and France gain a similar amount.
New CEPR dicussion papers-Mar 2001
ARTICLE - The Centre for Economic and Policy Research are publishing four articles mostly by economist Charles Wyplosz on central bank isssues in March 2001 - Do We Know How Low Inflation Should Be?, How Risky is Financial Liberalization in the…
Optimal Degrees of Transparency in Monetary Policy
ARTICLE - According to most academics and policymakers, transparency in monetary policymaking is desirable. However, an article by Henrik Jensen titled "Optimal Degrees of Transparency in Monetary Policymaking" says that high transparency may be a policy…
Performance of US econ since Oct 1987 crash-Levy
ARTICLE - "An Economic Assessment: Contained Depression or the Foothills of Recovery? U.S. and Global Finance Prospects; The Performance of the Economy Since the October 1987 Crash" by Robert Barbera and David A. Levy. The authors argues over the causes…
Paraguay president asks cbank board to resign
Paraguayan President Luis Gonzalez Macchi, who has shuffled his Cabinet in a growing political and economic crisis, has also asked the central bank board to resign, bank president Washington Ashwell said on Mar 15, 2001.
Gaby Fiszman made economic adviser to Israeli PM
New Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed on Mar 13, 2001, a Bank of Israel official as his economic adviser, a statement from his office said.
Serdengecti appointed Turkish cbank governor
Turkey's president Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved on Mar 13, 2001 a decree regarding appointment of Sureyya Serdengecti as the central bank governor.
Fed Meyer backs reserve interest, Treasury against
Federal Reserve Governor Laurence Meyer on Mar 13, 2001 reiterated the Fed's support for legislation that would allow it to pay interest on the reserves that banks are required to maintain with the central bank.
Brash says no rate cut could have sent NZ $ down
New Zealand's Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash said on Mar 14, 2001 that not cutting the official interest rate may have had the paradoxical effect of bringing easier monetary conditions through a lower exchange rate.
Academic to replace BOJ board 'hawk' Shinotsuka
A leading supporter of higher interest rates on the Policy Board of Japan's central bank is expected to be dropped when her term ends this month.
BoE ready to act if sharp US downturn-Plenderleith
Britain's central bank will be ready to cut interest rates again if the slowdown in the U.S. economy proves more severe than expected, Bank of England Executive Director Ian Plenderleith said on Mar 14, 2001.
BOI sees worse than expected 2001 global slowdown
World economic growth could slow down in 2001 by more than expected, the Bank of Italy warned in its half-yearly economic bulletin on Mar 14, 2001.
Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin - Spring 2001
RESEARCH PAPER - The Bank of England has published the spring 2001 issue of the Quarterly Bulletin, the first issue to be published to a new timetable separated from the quarterly Inflation Report. There are four key articles, mainly dealing with the UK…
Effects of measurement error on the output gap-BoJ
RESEARCH PAPER - A new working paper "Effects of Measurement Error on the Output Gap in Japan" by Koichiro Kamada and Kazuto Masuda from the research department of the Bank of Japan discusses theoretically how measurement errors and quality changes in…
Lithuania boosts cbank independence in law
The Lithuanian parliament on Mar 13, 2001 approved amendments to the law on the central bank aimed at cementing its independence and giving the institution more freedom to shape monetary policy.
Basel Accord major challenge for Asia banks-HKMA
Recent proposals aimed at strengthening the global financial system pose a major challenge for banks and regulators in Asia, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said on Mar 13, 2001.