International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Brazil announces intention to repay IMF debt
Brazil announced on Tuesday 13 December its intention to make an early repayment of its entire outstanding obligations to the International Monetary Fund amounting to SDR 10.79 billion (about US$15.46 billion).
Interview with IMF's Agustin Carstens
Agustin Carstens, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, recently talked about the challenges facing the Eastern Caribbean region.
IMF chief economist sees further US rate hikes
The International Monetary Fund's chief economist, Raghuram Rajan, predicted on Friday 9 December that the Federal Reserve would probably continue to raise interest rates.
IMF's Krueger on economic policy reform
In the speech 'Mutual reinforcement: Economic policy reform and financial market strength' given on 1 December Anne Krueger of the IMF said for economists and policymakers, the experience of the 1990s taught us a great deal.
IMF's Rajan urges caution on further ECB rate hike
IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan has called on the European Central Bank to wait for evidence that an economic recovery is taking hold in the euro zone before raising interest rates again.
IMF Paper on capital account liberalization
The IMF Working Paper "Capital account liberalization, capital flow patterns, and policy responses in the EU's new member states" discusses the experience of the EU's eight new member countries (EU8) between 1995 and 2003 when the bulk of capital account…
Comment: IMF criticises ECB's move
The decision by the ECB to increase interest rates by 25 basis points has come in for a fair amount of criticism in the press and from market analysts. On Thursday 1 December the eurozone's central bank received another stinging blow.
Rato on problems and issues in the global economy
In the speech 'Problems and issues in the global economy: A call for action' given on 22 November Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said we need action on IMF governance.
Rato promotes central bank communication
IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato told a European Banking Congress in Frankfurt on Friday 18 November that central banks should communicate their monetary policy plans clearly to avoid disruptive shocks to financial markets.
IMF central bank governance survey
An IMF survey of governance boards and management structures at central banks by JoAnne Morris and Tonny Lybek identifies "issues to consider when designing the structure, size, and composition of the governing boards and management of a central bank".
New book on International Financial Architecture
Palgrave has published a new book by Carlos M. Pelaez and Carlos A. Pelaez entitled "International Financial Architecture" as part of the Palgrave Texts in Finance and Monetary Economics series.
Fischer wows Israel
Stanley Fischer has ambitious plans to reform the Bank of Israel. Dan Gerstenfeld reports.
Why statistics matter
More care should be taken in presenting important statistics, says Steve Hanke, editorial adviser to Central Banking.
IMF's Rato on building better institutions
In the speech 'Building better institutions' given on 3 November Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said central banks in emerging markets that used inflation targeting not only reduced inflation but experienced less volatility.
Kosovo to establish central bank by end of 2006
The Banking and Payment Authority of Kosova will be transformed into the Central Bank of Kosovo by the end of next year, the BPK and the Ministry of Economy and Finance were quoted as saying by KosovaLive.
Comment: Who's to blame for global imbalances?
The issue of the global economic imbalances has become a very political one. Does the current system of largely floating exchange rates allow for a resolution based on careful economic analysis or are we destined for a prolonged series of political…
Estimating China's 'equilibrium' real ex rate
This IMF Working Paper looks at a sample of studies that have attempted to estimate the "equilibrium" real value of China's currency. It suggests the wide variation in such estimates can be explained by various factors including the different…
IMF wants more accountable Bank of Italy
The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday 2 November that the Italian government should toughen up a draft reform of the Bank of Italy to make the central bank more transparent and accountable.
Central bankers welcome Fed nominee
Following Ben Bernanke's nomination to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve, central bankers were out in force this week to welcome the move.
IMF Paper on international reserves
The IMF Working Paper "International reserves: Precautionary vs. mercantilist views, theory, and evidence" compares the importance of precautionary and mercantilist motives in the hoarding of international reserves by developing countries.
Rato: Economic impact of oil may not remain benign
IMF managing director Rodrigo Rato said in an article that there is a risk that the economic impact of high oil prices may not continue to be as benign as it has been up to now.
Rato on IMF's role in global financial stability
In the speech 'The role of the IMF in safeguarding global financial stability' given on 21 October Rodrigo de Rato of the IMF said the last two decades have witnessed tremendous change in the global financial system.
Krueger on the IMF and price stability
In the speech 'A prize worth having: the IMF and price stability' given on 20 October Anne Krueger of the IMF said the success of Turkish economic reforms in recent years has been beyond all expectations.
Rato says US rates should rise, ECB hold
The US Federal Reserve should increase interest rates gradually but the European Central Bank should keep its rate on hold for now, the International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato said in an interview.