Central Banks
Krueger on the IMF at 60: What role for the future
In a speech on 'The IMF at 60: What Role for the Future?' given on 24 June, Anne Krueger of the IMF said if the IMF didn't already exist, it would pretty quickly have to be invented. Though the world is different from that known to the Bretton Woods…
Fed's Gramlich on reducing budget deficits
In a speechon 'Reducing budget deficits' given on 24 June, Edward Gramlich of the Federal Reserve said the United States must reduce its budget deficits and enforce a tighter fiscal policy to ensure the long-run health of the economy.
Welteke settles for €25,000 fine
Ernst Welteke has agreed to pay 25,000 euros ($30,000)to charity to end a criminal probe into his conduct. Last week we reported his lawyers had rejected a demand of 50,000 euros saying the sum was "much too high".
Bundesbank board don't want new code of conduct
Some board members of the Bundesbank do not want to comply with a new code of conduct for the time being, following the scandal surrounding former president Ernst Welteke, and the latest one reportedly involving public money to build luxury villas for…
ECB board bypass Frankfurt
Apparently none of the Frankfurt based European Central Bank's board members actually live in Frankfurt, the FT revealed this week.
Trichet shown red card for speaking English
French deputies walked out of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly on Monday 21 June when ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet began addressing a meeting in English, according to Reuters.
Germany draft Weder onto 'Five Wise Men' panel
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's cabinet approved Beatrice Weder di Mauro, a university economist, as the first woman and first foreigner to join the government's council of economic advisers, the so called "Five Wise Men".
Fed seeks nominations to Consumer Advisory Council
The Federal Reserve Board has announced that it is seeking nominations for appointments to its Consumer Advisory Council. Eleven new members will be appointed to serve three-year terms beginning in January 2005.
Zimbabwe's Gono ducks missiles on SA trip
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono was in South Africa this week to launch Homelink, a plan to encourage Zimbabweans living abroad to send home money through government channels. But the trip descended into chaos when Gono was booed by crowds…
Taiwan appoints new regulator chief
Taiwan has appointed Jaw Sheng Kong as chairman of the newly formed Financial Supervisory Commission. Kong, 48, is currently chairman of state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corp, said the Executive Yuan, the island's Cabinet.
France's Noyer on indexed bonds, inflation
In a speech on 'The role of inflation - indexed bonds in the process of setting monetary policy: a central banker's perspective' given on 9 June, Christian Noyer of the Bank of France said central banks have to make use of the widest possible set of…
Caruana on 60 years after Bretton Woods
In a speech on '60 years after Bretton Woods - a central banker's view' given on 10 June, Jaime Caruana of the Bank of Spain said central banks have also undergone changes similar to those at the IMF. Developments in macroeconomic theory and the…
Gerashchenko chosen as new Yukos chairman
Former chairman of the Central Bank of Russia Viktor Gerashchenko was elected chairman of Yukos, the Russian oil giant, on Thursday 24 June.
Ecofin unlikely to press Hungary on deficit
The council of European Union finance ministers (Ecofin) is scheduled to evaluate Hungary's convergence program on July 5, and preliminary consultations do not indicate that the council will urge Hungary to speed up its budget deficit reduction plans,…
Four CIS countries consider single currency
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine are pondering the possibility of a single currency that will be legal tender on the territory of the Common Economic Area they are creating, a senior official at the Belarussian National Bank told a news conference…
BoJ's Fukui says too soon to end easy money policy
Bank of Japan chief Toshihiko Fukui said on Friday 25 June that it is too early to discuss ending the central bank's ultra-loose credit policy.
EU proposes easing of stability pact
At its regular meeting on Thursday 24 June, the European Commission recommended that a country's economic situation should be taken into account when applying the stability and growth pact, Deutsche Welle reported.