Central Banks
Tough tests ahead as Rajan prepares for RBI top job
Raghuram Rajan holds many of the skills required to govern the RBI, but he will face substantial monetary policy, governance and financial stability challenges, a new Central Banking article finds
Subbarao reviews success and failure in RBI valedictory speech
Outgoing governor Duvvuri Subbarao makes no apology for acting decisively in 2008, but says the RBI should have tightened policy faster in 2009; says bank is not targeting a level for the rupee
Prasarn hails prudent policies allowing Thailand to weather storm
Thailand's international reserves have meant the central bank has not had to raise interest rates to prop up the currency, says governor; hails ‘credible' monetary policy for ‘fostering growth and stability'
Decline in expected real interest rates 'key' to Japanese growth
Kikuo Iwata says inflation expectations will raise aggregate demand through the transmission mechanism of lower real interest rates; calls change in public mindset key to policy success
ECB looks to double the number of women in senior positions through quota
The bank is launching a ‘gender diversity action plan' to ensure 35% of mid-level management positions and 28% of senior positions are held by women by the end of the decade
People: Bank of Finland appoints head of monetary policy; Cleveland branch gets new vice-president
Tuomas Välimäki is Bank of Finland's new head of monetary policy and research; Guhan Venkatu takes over from Robert Schaub as president of Cleveland Fed's Pittsburgh branch; and more
Reserve accumulation enhances welfare if coupled with capital controls
Foreign reserve accumulation is part and parcel of a growth strategy based on strong capital investment in a financially constrained economy, according to a Banque de France research paper
Indonesia raises rates in unscheduled meeting to rescue the rupiah
Bank Indonesia raises interest rates in attempt to slow the fall in the value of the rupiah; observers fear the move will hit economic growth
Bank of Brazil hikes rates for the fourth time in as many months
Brazilian central bank deploys primary monetary policy weapon in a bid to hold back inflation and open another front to support the real, following intervention in the currency markets
Canada deputy says QE exit may be ‘more benign’ than critics fear
Despite Canada’s close ties to the US, Bank of Canada deputy governor John Murray believes tapering of Fed asset purchases will have less of a negative impact than many pundits fear
Czech governor slams one-size-fits-all regulation
CNB workshop considers impact of Basel III on emerging and smaller economies; participants consider the unintended consequences of both capital and liquidity rules
Rajan faces daunting challenges as he takes over as RBI governor
Raghuram Rajan faces a raft of monetary policy, governance and financial stability challenges when he takes over as governor of the Reserve Bank of India next week, writes Hugh Sandeman
Carney's BoE walks fine line between stimulus and financial stability
Bank of England governor Mark Carney’s maiden speech includes announcement of relaxation of bank liquidity rules; insists the central bank is in charge of interest rates, despite market moves
Bank of Jamaica will continue to tighten liquidity conditions
Governor Brian Wynter says central bank will keep on issuing ‘special securities’ to ensure exchange rate stability; unconcerned by recent increases in inflation rate
Forward guidance successful in mitigating downside risks to price stability
Provision of time-based forward guidance reduces downside price stability risks but may result in upside risks during the medium term, finds ECB working paper
RBA payments head hails ‘hub-based’ retail payments platform
Reserve Bank of Australia’s Tony Richards delivers update on country’s new payments platform and the central bank’s work towards a faster settlement system
Adherence to Islamic financing principles could benefit credit unions
Islamic savings products would make institutions more resilient, and possibly strengthen incentives for good governance, IMF working paper argues
Ugandan governor rejects president’s growth target
Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile says it is impossible for Uganda to become a middle-income country by 2017, as it will take two decades for the country to double its GNI per capita
US needs to improve supervision of insurers, FSB peer review concludes
Dombret-led review says US is making progress in reducing systemic risk, but insurance supervision architecture is ‘fragmented'; FSB also publishes progress report on compensation practices
Iran central bank appoints new governor
New Iranian president names commercial bank veteran to take over at the top of the central bank; priority will be taming inflation now running at around 40% a year
Kuroda believes QQE has started to ‘exert effects’
Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda says the radical easing plan unveiled in April has led to a ‘favourable turn’ in the country’s finanical markets, public expectations and economic activity
Jackson Hole speakers question viability of central bank co-operation
BoE deputy Charlie Bean says it is not ‘viable’ for advanced central banks to internalise the spillovers from their monetary easing; academics argue co-operation could create extra costs