Central Banks
Ex-IMF chief economist wants Fed’s Hoenig for Treasury
Simon Johnson says lone FOMC dissenter “entirely plausible” successor to Tim Geithner
Rate round-up: bulk of central banks hold
Rate decisions this week see a slew of institutions maintain policy stance
Modeling the demand for reserves
A new working paper from the Swiss National Bank estimates a demand curve for central bank reserves
Fed’s independence in public’s interest: Bernanke
Ben Bernake says the Federal Reserve will work with Congress to ensure maximum transparency
SWFs innocent of political bias
OECD looks at whether sovereign-wealth funds’ investments are politically motivated
Iceland’s government knew banks were in trouble: Wellink
Dutch central bank president Nout Wellink says his Icelandic counterparts had informed the government that the country’s banking sector was in trouble
ECB’s Stark places onus on deficit states
European Central Bank's Jürgen Stark says euro area’s deficit states must embrace economic reforms for the common good
Real exchange rate matters: SARB’s Mminele
South African Reserve Bank’s Daniel Mminele on the role of exchange rates in monetary policy
Argentina surprises with new governor
Mercedes Marcó del Pont, the pro-government head of a state bank, is made governor of the Argentine central bank, commentators and markets in shock
Ireland wrongly accused over funding family trips
Spending watchdog admits error over claims central bank paid for 52 spouses to travel on single visit, but Honohan bans future junkets
DSK hints at early departure from Fund
International Monetary Fund’s managing director thought keen to challenge Nicolas Sarkozy in 2012 presidential vote; move paves way for Fund to prepare ground for non-European appointment
Ex-SARB head to chair packaging company
Tito Mboweni named chairman of Nampak
Bank holds rates, halts asset purchases
Bank’s rate-setters stand pat, pointing to a clash of pressures between inflation and anaemic growth; ex-MPC members concur
US can go it alone on reforms: Volcker
Former Fed chairman Paul Volcker says international consensus on reform not necessary
Fed is best in crisis, says British think-tank
The Federal Reserve’s credit easing operations have fostered a quicker recovery than in the UK and eurozone, research finds
Romania makes half-point cut
Romanian central bank lowers cost of borrowing despite above-target inflation
Norway puts rate rises on ice
Pause in exit strategy as recovery “takes hold”, inflation likely to fall
RBI’s Gokarn doesn’t rule out capital controls
Reserve Bank of India’s Subir Gokarn says intervening in market to keep capital flows in check is an option
Cooperation key to EU stability: González-Páramo
European Central Bank’s José Manuel González-Páramo says EU institutions must share expertise and statistical information
CEE more vulnerable to exchange-rate shocks
National Bank of Hungary looks at the transmission of monetary policy in Central and Eastern Europe