Central Banks
Communication key in inflation targeting
Communication is crucial in limiting the damage to central bank's credibility associated with overshooting inflation targets, notes a new paper from the International Monetary Fund.
New model for anticipated structural changes
New research from the Reserve Bank of Australia develops a model that is relevant for monetary policy which can allow for anticipated structural changes.
Gulf states strong - Bahrain's Al-Majar
The Gulf states are in a strong position to withstand the financial crisis, said Rasheed Al-Majar, the governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain.
Chile surprises with one-point cut
The Central Bank of Chile surprised observers and markets with the size of the reduction in borrowing costs as data revealed that inflation plunged almost two percentage points in December.
Ireland's Hurley to stay on after term ends
The governor of Ireland's central bank, John Hurley, has agreed to stay on beyond the official end of his first seven-year term in March.
Korea denies renminbi reserves interest
The Bank of Korea has issued a strong denial in response to a story claiming the central bank had looked into but ultimately rejected shifting some of its reserves into renminbi.
Peru holds rates, eases reserve requirements
The board of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru held rates at 6.5% as inflation slowed but lowered reserve requirements by one percentage point in a bid to ease conditions for in for commercial banks.
Eichengreen: ideology slowed response to crisis
Ideology delayed US officials in taking necessary steps after the credit crisis erupted, says Barry Eichengreen, a financial historian based at the University of California, Berkeley, in a new paper.
BoE - Credit Conditions Survey
UK lenders report rise in default rates and losses on lending to households and private non-financial corporations, says the Bank of England's Credit Conditions Survey for the last quarter of 2008.
Banco de la Republica, Colombia - minutes
The board of directors of the Banco de la Republica, Colombia decided unanimously to cut the intervention rate by a half a basis point to 9.50%, the minutes of the 19 December meeting show.
How individuals remit funds internationally
A research briefing from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City describes means by which individuals make international remittances.
UK rates hit all-time low
In a widely expected move, the Bank of England lowered its policy rate to 1.5%, the lowest in the institution's 300-year history.
Tanzania looks into new notes
The Bank of Tanzania is looking into printing new banknotes barely five years after the previous series was introduced.
Latvia breached euro budget rules - central bank
Latvia's fiscal deficit for 2008 was in excess of the 3% Maastricht criterion for euro entry, the Bank of Latvia has said, taking issue with the government's figure of 2.8%.
Trichet defends summer rate hike
The European Central Bank (ECB) was right to raise rates by a quarter point in July as long-term inflation expectations threatened to become unanchored, Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, has said.
Denmark - Financial Stability Report
Denmark must implement a scheme of temporary capital injections to sound, well-managed banking institutions, says the latest Financial Stability Report from the National Bank of Denmark.
Fed justifies move to target range
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) shifted from a key rate towards a target range owing to a lack of control over overnight market rates and to highlight the need to step up quantitative easing, the minutes of its December meeting reveal.
Unexpected cuts highlight Asian export slump
The Taiwanese and Indonesian central banks surprised markets with rate cuts on Wednesday, both made as evidence mounted that 2009 will be a tough year for Asian exporters.
Gaza conflict demands SWF review: Oslo
Kristin Halvorsen, Norway's finance minister, has called for a review of the country's sovereign wealth fund investments as a result of the conflict in Gaza.
Regional Feds announce new chairmen
Three of the 12 regional Federal Reserves have named new chairmen for their boards of directors in 2009.
Fed not out of ammo, says SF's Yellen
The Federal Reserve still has the tools to stimulate the economy even with interest rates at next to zero, said Janet Yellen, the president of the San Francisco Fed.