Central Banking
Egypt money market authority on falling shares
Commenting on the fall in stock prices during the year 2000, an Egyptian official has said that despite the decline, bills and bonds portfolios had achieved a substantial growth rate. He explained that stock prices had fallen because of the negative…
Fraga says Brazil not that affected by US slowdown
A slowdown in the U.S. economy won't have a major impact on Brazil, in part because of the diversity of Brazil's export markets, central bank governor Arminio Fraga said Jan. 26. "Scenarios of economic deceleration, without a major crisis or anything…
Mexico Ortiz sees 2001 inflation 6.5% despite VAT
Official Mexican inflation targets for 2001 won't be changed whatever the impact of a value-added tax to be imposed shortly on certain goods, central bank governor Guillermo Ortiz said Jan. 26, 2001. Mexico is to impose VAT on food and medicines by an…
Riksbank new board member is economist, ex-MEP
Kristina Persson, an economist and former MEP, was appointed on Jan. 26, 2001, to fill a vacant seat on the Swedish Riksbank central bank's seven-member board of governors, which sets monetary policy, the bank said. Persson, 55, who has worked at the…
Macedonia central bank intervenes to prop denar
The National Bank of Macedonia (NBM) said on Jan. 26, 2001, it will begin intervention on the domestic foreign exchange market, selling marks to meet surging demand which has eroded the national currency, the denar. "The denar came under pressure from…
Cyprus angered at Yugo claim on Milosevic cash
One-time Serbian ally Cyprus on Jan. 26 angrily rejected assertions that it was not co-operating with inquiries to track down funds siphoned overseas by former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Cassoulides said he had…
Cyprus cbank leaves base rate unchanged at 7.0 pct
Cyprus's central bank left its key interest rate steady at 7.0 percent at a board meeting on Jan. 26 as expected, a senior manager said. "The board of the central bank decided to adopt the recommendation of the monetary advisory committee to leave the…
Czech house wants cbank aim cut from constitution
The lower house of the Czech parliament agreed on Jan. 26, 2001, to cut the central bank's policy aim out of the constitution, a part of a wider revamp of central bank laws by the country's two main parties.But the constitutional amendment is expected to…
Brash -Svensson report due 'within next few weeks'
A New Zealand government-appointed independent review into the country's monetary policy making will publish its findings within a few weeks, Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash said on Jan. 26, 2001.The one-man review is being conducted by Lars Svensson,…
Bank of Thailand, TRT at loggerheads on bank rules
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) insists that it will not lower the minimum average-weighted capital-adequacy ratio which financial institutions are required to maintain - currently 8.5 per cent of risk assets - even though the incoming government is calling…
Greenspan surprises with support for tax cuts
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan delivered some surprising support for President George W. Bush's call for a $1.6 trillion tax cut, saying tax cuts will benefit the economy in the long run."In today's context, where tax reduction appears…
Eichel plans to strengthen role of Buba president
German Finance Minister Hans Eichel Jan. 25 presented his proposal for streamlining the Deutsche Bundesbank, aimed at strengthening the position of the bank's president at the expense of the nine regional bank heads. But likely opposition to the plans in…
Portugal cbank warns govt on wages, inflation
Portugal's central bank on Jan. 25 delivered a slap on the wrist to the Socialistgovernment for raising state sector wages too much, saying itposed a risk to inflation. "The main risk to inflation forecasts comes from salariesand it would be extremely…
Iceland cbank intervenes anew as crown falls more
Iceland's central bank said on Jan. 25 it intervened in the local foreign exchange market for the second day in a row, buying one billion Icelandic crowns ($11.51 million) to halt the crown's recent slide.
Czech cbank cuts inflation fcast, leaves rates
The Czech central bank board, in the face of weaker price pressures, discussed the possibility of a rate cut at its regular weekly board meeting on Jan. 25 but left rates unchanged, vice-Governor Ludek Niedermayer said. Monetary department chief Ales…
Israel's Barak backs cautious monetary policy
Prime Minister Ehud Barak said on Jan. 25 he supports the Bank of Israel's cautious interest rate policy despite calls from the business sector for sharper rate cuts. "I think this (Alan) Greenspan type of cautious, carefully weighed policy of the Bank…
Ukraine c.bank desperately seeking t-bill buyers
Ukraine's central bank said on Jan. 25, it plans to increase loans to commercial banks secured on treasury bills this year in a move aimed at reviving the domestic debt market. The market has been at a virtual standstill since Russia's 1998 financial…
Cyprus cbank expected to leave rate steady Jan 26
Cyprus's central bank is expected to leave itskey interest rate unchanged when its board meets on Jan 26, bank sourcesand independent analysts said.
Estonian 2000 domestic lending growth high-c.bank
Estonian total domestic lending in 2000 grew 30.6 percent year-on-year to stand at 34.7 billion kroons ($2.05 billion) at the end of December 2000, the central bank said on Jan. 25.
FRBNY: Corporate governance call for papers
The New York Fed is soliciting papers for an October 2001 conference on corporate governance that it will cosponsor with the Journal of FinancialIntermediation.
Buba repeats it opposes single financial watchdog
The Bundesbank on Jan. 25 reiterated its opposition to Finance Ministry plans to strip it of its banking oversight functions and to bundle all financial system supervision in one federal institution. The central bank said in a statement it was not…
Manila cuts interest rates
The Central Bank of the Philippines decided Jan. 25, 2001, to implement a further cut of 50 basis points in both the overnight borrowing and lending rates to 12.0 percent and 14.25 percent, respectively. The bank's move to cut interest rates, which takes…
Lithuanian cbank okays draft bill for litas repeg
Lithuania's central bank said on Jan. 25 its board approved a draft amendment to law aimed at clearing the path for a shift in the litas currency's peg to the euro from the dollar without devaluation."The main goal of this amendment is to ... give…