Economics
Hoenig warns on rate overshoot - report
The Federal Reserve must guard against raising interest rates too high, Kansas City Federal Reserve President Tom Hoenig said Friday 19 May in an interview with the Wall Street Journal's Greg Ip.
Bernanke regrets 'lapse of judgment'
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday 23 May during a Senate Banking Committee hearing that he suffered a "lapse of judgment" when he spoke to a CNBC reporter recently.
Comment: US 'break-even' inflation
News of a sudden increase in inflation fears has made headlines in recent weeks. In the case of the US, some have linked this to idea that new Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, is perceived as being too soft on inflation. What do the most recent estimates of…
National Bank of Azerbaijan - Annual Report 2004
According to the National Bank of Azerbaijan's Annual Report 2004, both domestic and foreign economic environments were favorable in 2004, therefore helping Azerbaijan to retain a high economic growth rate.
St Louis Fed's Poole on inversion
In the speech 'Inversion' given on 18 May William Poole of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said he's "been a bit puzzled" by talk beginning last fall that an inverted yield curve would likely herald a recession.
BoE's Walton on a shift in the balance of risks
In the speech 'A shift in the balance of risks' given on 18 May David Walton of the Bank of England said listed five main reasons why the upside risks had emerged and necessitated an immediate quarter point increase in the central bank's key rate to 4.75…
ECB's Trichet on structural reforms in Europe
In the speech 'Structural reforms in Europe' given on 22 May Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the European Union is undergoing an important process of reforms of its socio-economic model so as to adapt it to future challenges.
Greenspan says housing bubble over
Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday 18 May, in his first public U.S. speech since retiring in January, that US consumption could fall now that the US housing market's "extraordinary boom" has ended.
ECB wants action on reform agenda - Trichet
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet on Monday 22 May called on the EU to implement its structural reform programme which has been revamped.
BoE's Nickell sees UK inflation checked
Spare capacity in the UK economy will help lower inflationary pressures, and will keep inflation below the Bank of England's target, according to outgoing Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member, Steve Nickell.
PBOC says China to boost yuan flexibility in 06
China will boost the flexibility of the yuan this year, the central bank said in its annual report published in the China Securities Journal over the weekend.
Comment: Issing's parting shot
In his final speech before stepping down as chief economist and member of the executive board of the ECB, Otmar Issing yesterday said the adoption of the euro has prevented damaging currency speculation. He also admitted that he was somewhat of a "euro…
Bank of Albania - Annual Report 2004
According to the Bank of Albania's Annual Report 2004, the development of the Albanian economy during 2004 was in compliance with the main objectives of the country's economic development strategy.
The new Fed chairman faces the same old dilemma
Ben Bernanke is facing the age-old test all central bankers eventually have to confront: what to do in the face of slowing growth and rising inflation, according to this article published Thursday 18 May.
Comment: Safe hands for Fed No. 2 spot
US president George W. Bush opted for a safe pair of hands in the form of Donald Kohn to replace Roger Ferguson as No. 2 at the Fed. Kohn, a 36-year Fed veteran, will be both a countervailing and supplementary force to the more studious Ben Bernanke.
Liebscher says ECB worried on inflation
Austrian national bank governor Klaus Liebscher told reporters Friday 19 May that the European Central Bank is worried about risks to the eurozone's inflation outlook.
National Bank of Belgium - Annual Report 2005
According to the National Bank of Belgium's Annual Report 2005, the overall performance of the euro area conceals highly divergent results across countries.
Central Bank of Barbados - Annual Report 2004
According to the Central Bank of Barbados's Annual Report 2004, during 2004, growth of the Barbadian economy was strong, particularly in tourism and the nontraded sectors.
Norges Bank - Annual Report 2005
According to Norges Bank's Annual Report 2005, published Friday 12 May, Norges Bank's projections for inflation in 2005 were revised downwards slightly in Inflation Report 1/05, but were unchanged thereafter.
Comment: Emerging market jitters
Emerging markets equities, bonds and currencies have been under severe pressure over the last two weeks. The turning tide will leave a number of central banks uncomfortable, particularly as the favourable conditions of the last 2 and 3 years has actually…
Central Bank of The Bahamas - Annual Report 2005
According to the Central Bank of The Bahamas's Annual Report 2005, preliminary indications are that, despite the rise in global oil prices and devastating hurricanes, the growth momentum of the Bahamian economy was sustained during 2005.
So yuan is at 8? Wake me up when it reaches 7.5
Greater currency flexibility is all about speed, and according to this article published Tuesday 16 May, the yuan continues to disappoint.
Enforcement and the stability and growth pact
The IMF Working Paper "Enforcement and the stability and growth pact: How fiscal policy did and did not change under Europe's fiscal framework" published May 2006, says that the Stability and Growth Pact has been a success in numerous EU countries,…
Fed's Bernanke on hedge funds and systemic risk
In the speech 'Hedge funds and systemic risk' given on 16 May Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve said financial authorities must stay attuned to any potential risks posed by the growth of hedge funds, an investment domain of the wealthy that has become…