Reserves
Nigeria needs more reserves and better inflation controls, says Fitch
Nigeria will need to further increase the size of its foreign exchange reserves and keep inflation in closer check if it wants to secure investment-grade status by 2020, says Fitch
UK chancellor unhappy about past gold sales
George Osborne issues thinly veiled attack on Gordon Brown over gold sales a decade ago; minutes from latest BoE meeting reveal two votes for more QE
SNB spent $19.6 billion maintaining minimum exchange rate
SNB purchased foreign currency to a value of $19.6 billion in 2011; central bank also reveals larger than expected profit
South Africa records increase in value of gold reserves
SARB reveals $186 million rise in value of gold reserves; overall reserves value up $438 million
EU freezes assets of Syrian central bank
Council of the European Union announces freeze on central bank assets among string of sanctions; EU “increasingly appalled” by situation in the country, says council
Philippines reveals extent of lending to IMF
Central Bank of the Philippines announces shift in relationship with International Monetary Fund; holdings from the country have been used to support Ireland, Portugal and Greece
African central bankers embrace a new world order
Africa’s central bankers are adopting new approaches to managing their reserves as trade with Brics rises and the influence of developed nations wanes
Central banks bought close to 440 tonnes of gold in 2011
World Gold Council unveils report showing large central bank gold purchases in 2011; emerging economies lead the way in rebalancing their reserves to include more of the precious metal
Venezuela completes repatriation of gold reserves
Final shipment of 14 tonnes of gold arrives in Caracas; governor certain the central bank has the capabilities to protect the precious metal
Precautionary motives drive rapid build-up of reserves in EMEs, says IMF paper
Fund study shows stockpiling of international reserves in emerging markets are motivated by insurance against capital account, rather than current account shocks
State Bank of Pakistan warns on ‘deteriorating’ budgetary conditions
State Bank of Pakistan quarterly report says government fell short of budget target last year; warns drying up of foreign direct investment could leave economy vulnerable
World Gold Council predicts ‘record year’ for central bank gold purchases
Trend of central banks being net purchasers to continue; latest update from World Gold Council predicts ‘record year’ of buying
BoK to invest reserves into onshore renminbi assets
Inter-bank bond market quota and QFII qualification pave the way for Bank of Korea to place more of its reserve in mainland China
IMF paper: High international reserves are not panacea for low-income countries
International Monetary Fund study measures economic impact of external shocks on low-income countries with different levels of international reserves; says reserves provide cushion not remedy
Fed expects $76.9 billion transfer to US Treasury
Federal Reserve estimates it will provide $76.9 billion of funds to the US Treasury after high returns from interest on income
Lagarde applauds Nigerian sovereign wealth fund creation
Christine Lagarde makes first visit to Africa since becoming managing director of the IMF; hails creation of Nigerian sovereign wealth fund as an “important advancement”
Bank of Finland paper investigates China’s evolving reserve requirements
Bank of Finland discussion paper charts the changing role of reserve requirements as a policy tool in Asia's biggest economy
South Korean won slips following Kim Jong-il’s death
Death of North Korean leader causes South Korean won to hit two-month low against dollar and sterling; world waits to see how youngest son will handle succession
UN and US lift sanctions on Libyan central bank
UN Security Council and US government announce removal of sanctions on Central Bank of Libya's assets
Renminbi to be reserve currency in less than five years: CB.com poll
A poll of CentralBanking.com readers finds most believe the Chinese currency will account for more than 5% of global reserves in less than five years
Video: National Bank of Angola’s David Carvalho on reserves allocations to Brics
Angolan central bank looks to invest in Brazilian, Chinese and African debt as it reassesses its reserves guidelines in light of the eurozone debt crisis and persistently low US Treasury yields
CB.com panel discusses changes in reserve management functions
CentralBanking.com poses the question: What do central banks want from reserves and reserve managers? Panellists discuss how the financial crisis has altered the role of reserve managers
NALM Africa 2011: Beware the risk 'numbers' say African central bankers
African central bank risk chiefs say reserves managers need to beware the numbers produced by complicated risk management software systems and rely more on their own qualitative judgement
NALM Africa 2011: African central banks rethink reserves allocations
The drop-off in US Treasury yields and concern about a eurozone sovereign collapse has prompted a number of African central banks to review their reserves allocations