Central Banks
Speech by John Townend, Director for Europe
SPEECH - Speech by John Townend, Director for Europe at a British Bankers' Association Conference, London on 5 November.
Speech by Joseph Yam, Chief Executive of the HKMA
SPEECH - Speech by Joseph Yam, JP, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, 5 November. Briefing to the Legislative Council Panel on Financial Affairs.
Fed expected to cut rates by another half-point
US - The US Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates today for the tenth time this year, extending its most aggressive rate-cutting campaign in recent history amid yet more evidence of proliferating weakness in the world's economic power.
Asian nations agree free-trade zone
ASIA - South East Asian nations and China have agreed to set up the world's biggest free-trade area within 10 years.
Consumer spending falls in Japan
JAPAN - Japanese households spent less in September in spite of falling prices and government attempts to boost consumer spending, official figures show.
Chicago Fed National Activity Index
REPORT - The Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) was virtually unchanged at -1.28 in September. The three-month moving average index (CFNAI-MA3) was -0.95 in September, marking the fifteenth consecutive month that the CFNAI-MA3 was below zero.
Eurozone inflation dip may smooth ECB move
EUROPE - Annual inflation in the eurozone dipped to 2.4 per cent last month from 2.5 per cent in September, according to a provisional estimate released Monday.
IMF cuts forecast for growth in France
FRANCE - The International Monetary Fund, blaming the effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, has cut its forecast for French economic growth next year to around 1.6 per cent from an earlier prediction of 2.1 per cent.
Georgia National Bank's reserves raised
GEORGIA - With the receiving of new credit from the International Monetary Fund, currency reserves of National Bank of Georgia had raised to 141.8 million dollars.
Bulgarian mint to be split from central bank
BULGARIA - The mint of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), which prints Bulgarian levs, will be split from the BNB and transformed into a state-owned joint stock company as of 2002.
Kuwait's central bank upgrades its internet site
KUWAIT - Kuwait's Central Bank (CBK) has launched its upgraded Internet site, accessible at www.cbk.gov.kw, CBK Governor, Sheikh Salem Abdul Aziz al Sabah, said on 5 November 2001.
Speech by Hermann Remsperger of the Bundesbank
SPEECH - Speech by Professor Hermann Remsperger, Member of the Directorate of the Deutsche Bundesbank at the Summit of Financial Journalists in Frankfurt on 29 October.
Early euro vote for UK in doubt
UK - Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the UK, Gordon Brown poured cold water yesterday on expectations the British government was leaning toward holding a referendum on joining the European single currency during the current parliament.
BOJ Suda - Weak yen is remedy to stop price falls
JAPAN - Bank of Japan board member Miyako Suda said Monday she believes a weak yen is an appropriate remedy to stop Japan's price declines.
Russia's Gokhran to buy gold for central bank
RUSSIA - Russian precious metals depository Gokhran will buy 40 metric tons of gold in 2002 from domestic commercial banks for the Central Bank of Russia's reserves, Gokhran official Valery Goncharov told reporters Monday.
Error rate high with euro notes trial in France
FRANCE - Two months before euro notes and coins come into circulation, the financial community is concerned that cashiers in shops and banks will not be ready to use euros and detect fake notes from 1 January.
Buba Welteke - ECB rate policy no hinder to growth
GERMANY - The European Central Bank's interest rates aren't an obstacle to growth, long-term and real interest rates are low and the ECB must avoid letting long-term inflation expectations build up, Deutsche Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke repeated,…
Bank of Japan is pressured to take action
JAPAN - Japanese lawmakers tightened the screws on the Bank of Japan by advancing legislation that would force it to take more aggressive action to stimulate the world's second-largest economy.
Speech by UK Chancellor Gordon Brown
SPEECH - Speech by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer to the CBI annual conference dinner in Birmingham, England, 4 November.
Envisaged scenarios of the euro changeover
RESEARCH - Regular report of the European Central Bank on Envisaged scenarios of the euro area for the 2002 cash changeover as at 26 October.
Russian reserves growing
RUSSIA - Russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves grew from $38.6 billion to a new peak of $38.8b in the period between 19 October and 26, 2001.
Speech by Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke
SPEECH - Speech by Ernst Welteke, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, at Danmarks Nationalbank in Copenhagen, 29 October.