Central Banking
Yugoslav banks' losses 10.4 bln German marks-cbank
Yugoslavia's central bank said on Feb. 2, 2001, the heavily-indebted banking sector had more than 10 billion German marks ($4.81 billion) in accumulated uncovered losses, the equivalent of some 40 percent of the country's gross domestic product. "Total…
Cash launch to boost public support for euro-Noyer
European Central Bank Vice President Christian Noyer said on Feb. 2 that public support of the single currency would grow with the introduction of euro notes and coins from January 1, 2002. Echoing earlier comments from other ECB officials, Noyer said it…
Bank of Spain says economy slowed in Q4
Spanish economic growth, among the fastest in the euro zone, slowed to an estimated 3.9 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2000 from 4.1 percent in the third quarter, the Bank of Spain said on Feb. 2, 2001. Gross domestic prorduct (GDP) growth…
Turkmenistan cbank funds Boeing aircraft purchase
Turkmenistan's central bank said on Feb. 2 it helped finance the purchase of a Boeing 757-200 aircraft for Turkmenistan Airlines valued at $70 million. Turkmenistan Airlines borrowed $48.3 million from the central bank to buy the new plane. The airliner…
Lebanon cbank still awaits anti-laundering law
Lebanon's central bank said on Feb. 2, 2001, it would cooperate with global efforts to combat money laudering once parliament approved a law that would open up the country's highly secretive banking system. "Once the law is passed, the central bank will…
New German debt mgmt agency wants shorter maturity
The average time to maturity of current German government bonds should be cut markedly, the chief executives of the country's new private debt management agency told the Friday [Feb 2, 2001] edition of the financial daily Boersenzeitung. This will be one…
IMF praises Moldova, promises to extend $12m Feb
The International Monetary Fund praised Moldova's government policies on Feb. 2, 2001, and said it would disburse the next $12 million tranche in February 2001, the head of the IMF monitoring mission said. "All objectives of the programme are met,"…
Guatemala urged to modernize financial system
The Guatemalan government should modernize its financial system to strengthen the supervision of the country's central bank over the country's financial system, the central bank governor said Feb. 2. Lizardo Sosa, the president of the Bank of Guatemala,…
BI to complete divestment program in 2001-Sjahril
Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril Sabirin said on Feb. 2 that the central bank would divest all of its ownership in various financial institutions this year. Sjahril said that the divestment of the Bank Indonesia subsidiaries would be conducted either…
Yugoslav central bank propose price liberalization
Yugoslav National Bank Governor Mladjan Dinkic said on Feb. 2, 2001, that the bank's team of experts had on Jan. 30 sent to the Serbian government a proposal for the planned liberalization of prices spread over the next three years to prevent "future…
Reserve Bank of India names executive director
The Reserve Bank of India on Feb. 2, 2001, appointed SL Parmar as executive director with immediate effect. Parmar was chief general manager-in-charge at the bank's administration and personnel management department. There are eight executive directors…
IMF says ECB right to wait for more info on rates
The European Central Bank should wait for more information about core inflation in the euro zone and the growth outlook for the U.S. economy before cutting interest rates, the International Monetary Fund said. In a statement on euro-zone economic…
'Gatekeepers of Growth' by Sylvia Maxfield
With so many books on central banking in OECD countries, it makes a refreshing change to read a book that concerns itself with developing countries. Here, Sylvia Maxfield writes about the, causes and consequences of the independence of central banks in…
'European Central Bank' by Georg Schweiger
As befits a man with his background, Schweiger's book primarily deals with the legal and institutional framework of the European Central Bank (ECB). Although the jacket claims the book focuses on the personalities behind the bank, this is better left to…
'The Greenspan Effect' by Sicilia and Cruikshank
If Alan Greenspan is God, then this is the biblical exegesis. The latest book to delve into the Greenspan phenomenon takes the great man's words and then picks them apart in an exhaustive search for meaning. Sicilia and Cruikshank, apparently without a…
Books on the Asian crisis and its aftermath
So many books have been written about the causes of the Asian financial crisis from 1997-99 and about the lessons for policymakers. We review three of these books: "Asia Falling: making sense of the Asian crisis and its aftermath," "Asia in Crisis: the…
International Bank Insolvencies: cbank perspective
Problems in the banking sector of some economies, including bank insolvencies, pose numerous challenges to policy makers, lawyers and regulators among others. Central bank lawyers are the target audience for this book. It is co-edited by Gregor Heinrich…
'Inventing Money:story of LTCM' by Nicholas Dunbar
One of the first books relating the story of the rise and fall of the ironically named Long-Term Capital Management. Written by Nick Dunbar, the editor of Risk magazine.
Financial Globalization and Democracy in Emerg Mkt
In this book Leslie Elliott Armijo brings together a collection of original papers on the subject of the impact of global financial flows on political developments in borrowing countries. The majority of them were presented at a 1995 conference on…
Duisenberg slams plan to curb Buba oversight role
European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg on Feb. 1, 2001, attacked German government plans to strip the Bundesbank of its banking watchdog duties, saying the move may make it harder to supervise the financial system. In unusually strong tones even…
IMF says Canada must be wary as U.S. slows
The International Monetary Fund said on Feb. 1, 2001, that Canada was well placed to cope with a slowing U.S. economy, but told its central bank to be ready to cut interest rates if the U.S. slowdown became a dive. In its annual staff assessment of the…
Lack of confidence shouldn't slow eurozone-Vanhala
Finland's central bank governor said on Feb. 1 he hoped "reasons of confidence and psychology" would not slow euro zone growth more than real economic conditions justify. Matti Vanhala was speaking after the European Central Bank's governing council, of…
New ECB website on introduction of euro notes, coin
The European Central Bank on Feb. 1, 2001, unveiled a new website as part of its campaign to prepare the public in the 12 euro-zone states for the introduction of notes and coins from January 1, 2002.The website, with the address www.euro.ecb.int, has…
ECB Duisenberg says Irish budget out of line
European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg on Feb. 1 said he shared the European Commission's critical assessment of Ireland's expansionary budgetary policies. The Commission has asked EU finance ministers to issue an unprecedented formal reprimand…