International Monetary Fund (IMF)
South Africa plans no change to inflation target
Treasury Director General Lesetja Kganyago has said South Africa has no plans to modify its inflation targeting framework to aim for the middle of the established three to six per cent target range.
Report says IMF to cut US growth outlook
The International Monetary Fund expects the United States economy to grow less than previously expected this year and next, but will upgrade Japan's growth prospects on its upcoming world economic scorecard, German newspapers said over the weekend.
IMF Staff Papers, Vol 52, No 2, 2005
The latest issue of the IMF Staff Papers published Monday 12 September includes a special section on Central Bank Financial Strength, presenting a collection of papers including "Central bank financial strength, transparency, and policy credibility".
The IMF must redefine its role to stay relevant
In a commentary published on Wednesday 14 September International Monetary Fund managing director Rodrigo de Rato said although globalisation has brought enormous benefits in growth and efficiency, cross-border financial crises have heightened the…
IMF says ECB rate cut not necessary yet
The European Central Bank is following a "broadly appropriate" monetary policy, and has no reason to cut interest rates at present, the International Monetary Fund's most senior European official said on Tuesday 13 September.
Comment: Revisiting the risk landscape
Many central bankers and international financial institutions have as usual started the new season by surveying the changing risk landscape.
Comment: More autonomy for the PBOC?
The IMF board is plainly split on what attitude to adopt towards China's exchange rate policy but has come out usefully supporting moves to give the People's bank of China more discretion in setting interest rates.
IMF postpones Zimbabwe expulsion
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund reviewed Zimbabwe's overdue financial obligations to the IMF on 9 September and further considered the Managing Director's complaint regarding Zimbabwe's compulsory withdrawal from the IMF.
Interview with IMF's Rodrigo de Rato
In an interview published this week IMF managing director Rodrigo de Rato warns that high oil prices could halt Korea's economic recovery. He also says sluggish export growth could put a brake on the recovery.
IMF warns central banks on oil prices
The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned central banks of the second round effects of high oil prices.
G20 will include IMF, World Bank reform talks
The agenda for October's meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank chiefs will include reform of the IMF and World Bank, deputy finance minister Li Yong told the official Xinhua news agency.
Asian central banks pledge to enhance integration
The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) jointly hosted a high-level seminar on Asian regional financial integration on 3 September 2005.
Zimbabwe's Gono pleads against IMF expulsion
Zimbabwe's central bank chief called on the IMF not to expel the country on Sunday 4 September and denied using undeclared foreign exchange to pay back part of the IMF debt.
Central banking and supervisory challenges
The IMF is holding a conference 'Financial Stability - Central banking and supervisory challenges' in Washington on 6-7 September. The conference will address key financial stability issues posing challenges to central bankers and supervisors around the…
IMF's Rajan on the Greenspan era
In the speech 'The Greenspan era: Lessons for the future' given on 27 August Raghuram Rajan of the IMF said that financial markets are at present in extremely healthy shape.
Experiences of inflation targeting
A new IMF paper examines the experiences of inflation targeting countries and presents a number of "stylised facts" and conclusions for policy makers.
Iraq's first Article IV for 25 years
The IMF has issued its first Article IV report on Iraq in 25 years. It reports that economic activity in Iraq has grown significantly in 2004, but that inflation has also been higher than expected at 37% for the year to June, compared with estimates of…
Zimbabwe teeters on the edge of Fund exit
Zimbabwe's deteriorating economy means it faces the risk of expulsion from the IMF, as a team from the Fund arrived on August 22 ahead of the September meeting at which a decision will be made.
Privatisation plans fall short - Serb central bank
The National Bank of Serbia warned the government against reneging on its IMF commitments, in a press release issued on August 19 which criticised the government's progress in privatising the oil industry.
Serb central bank upbeat on IMF warning
Radovan Jelasic, governor of Serbia's central bank, predicted on Tuesday 16 August that the government would react positively to warnings from the International Monetary Fund that its loan arrangement was in jeopardy.
Review of the IMF's Transparency Policy
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) discussed the IMF's transparency policy on 20 June 2005, based on a staff report entitled 'Review of the Fund's Transparency Policy'.
Unfinished business on sovereign debt
Contractual innovations have solved some of the problems in restructuring sovereign debt, but others remain – notably the role of the IMF. Report by Paul Brione.
Comment: Output losses from financial crises
Central bankers and regulators, like other professionals, naturally spend a lot of time on the technical details of their jobs. Sometimes it is well to be reminded of just how much is at stake in their policy decisions.
Comment: China points way to wider reform
Robert Pringle, editor of Central Banking, explains why China's recent moves underline the need for a wider reform of world money (extracts from an interview with the German newspaper, Handelsblatt published on 11 August).