Official Record
BoE alert to second-round effects from low inflation, minutes show
BoE enters eighth year with rate at 0.5%; committee will continue to watch for second-round effects of inflation on wages
Zimbabwe central bank calls for flexibility on SME credit
Number of areas still at risk from financial exclusion; only 14% of MSME owners were banked, and only 1% of the adult population used capital market services in 2014
Inflation target and interest rates about right, UK survey suggest
Median expectations of inflation for 2016 were 1.8%; largest share of UK public says it is best for the economy if interest rates stay where they are
Central Bank of Brazil calls for structural reforms
Inflation figures come down, but still nowhere near target range; central bank calls on government to ensure fiscal consolidation in longer-term
UK payments regulator notes expansion of indirect access providers
Industry response to financial crime regulation has deterred indirect access providers from catering for smaller payment service providers, report says
Norges Bank organisational changes geared towards better investment
Revamp of organisational structure is mainly focused on improving the governance of the sovereign wealth fund, which delivered a return of 2.7% despite turbulence last year, annual report reveals
Slovakian central bank boosts provisions for financial risks
National Bank of Slovakia records gross profit of €144.6 million in 2015, as both income and operating costs fall
Report finds 11% of Rwandans remain financially excluded
Women and younger people more likely to be financially excluded; share of population excluded falls from 28% to 11%
External conditions move Bank of Mexico to lower growth forecasts
Central bank cuts growth forecasts for 2016/2017 by half a percentage point; global slowdown starting to have larger impact
Turkish MPC eyes volatility as it prepares move to standardised framework
Decline in volatility will be key factor in move to a narrower interest rate corridor, minutes say; central bank expects disinflation in February after headline figure hit 9.6% in January
Riksbank minutes reveal knife-edge decision to cut
Cecilia Skingsley says decision was hardest since her appointment to the board; strong economy, weak inflation and unconventional policy make for tricky task
National Bank of Belgium sees deposit guarantee scheme as ‘missing component’
Central bank says a joint scheme is the ‘missing component’ of banking union, but argues risk-sharing must be accompanied by better risk control
Kenya sees a reduction in use of bank services
Mobile payments preferred, with 47.8% of the population using mobile services on a daily basis; banks now mainly used for salary payments
Domestic inflation remained ‘benign’ in 2015 – Rwandan statement
Inflation in Rwanda continued to record “moderate” and “low” levels throughout last year; current monetary policy stance “justified”
ECB governing council minutes stress need for good communication
Members of the ECB’s Governing Council agreed on the need for good communications but disagreed over the evidence of second-round effects in recent wage dynamics, minutes show
RBA board agrees China has ‘scope to respond’ if outlook worsens
Minutes from February meeting reveal board is wary a ‘sharp slowing’ in economic activity could spill over to other economies in region, though Chinese authorities could respond
Emerging markets leading the way in cutting-edge payments innovations, UK report finds
Mobile payments embraced in emerging markets where banking infrastructure lags; Kenya’s M-Pesa system handles flows equivalent to a quarter of nation's GNP
Irish central bank begins publishing commission minutes
Ireland’s central bank starts publishing minutes from commission meetings; oversight body’s minutes will be released ‘to provide greater understanding’ of internal debates
Tobacco prices ‘insufficient’ to offset food and energy, says Tonga central bank
Headline inflation in Tonga rose to -1.2% in December, but in its inflation report for November, the central bank warns price increases will likely remain low
BIS stats show further retreat in global banking flows
Falling claims on China drive bulk of overall reduction in cross-border claims, but pace of decline slows compared with previous quarter
Tonga central bank promotes ‘prudent lending’
National Reserve Bank of Tonga says bank lending rose by 12% in year to November, driven chiefly by lending to households
Fewer counterfeit banknotes withdrawn in Portugal in 2015
Statistics released by Bank of Portugal reveal a drop in the number of counterfeits withdrawn from circulation last year; the €20 remains the most frequently faked denomination
Jamaican report says inflation risks balanced for 2016
Latest forecasts suggest inflation will rise to lower end of Bank of Jamaica’s target range in coming months; downside risks include reversal in food prices
Riksbank minutes reveal debate over monetary framework
Board members welcome debate over target variable and possible reinstatement of tolerance band, but af Jochnick warns changes should not be made simply because of recent failures to hit target