Central Banking Series

Central Banking Series

Please stop obsessing over words. It’s quite simple: the RBA thinks inflation is too high

Jun 20, 2024 05:39 am UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks Economy

These days every word of every statement from the Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock is pored over in minute detail as is every word uttered at her press conference after each Reserve Bank board meeting. Desperate...

Central Banking Series

Inflation is cooling, but not fast enough for the Fed

Jun 13, 2024 06:02 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Central Banks

It was a double-whammy Wednesday for economic-data enthusiasts. During the morning of June 12, 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics published its latest inflation figures. The news was relatively good, showing that...

Central Banking Series

Interest rates: the ugly dilemma facing Europe’s central banks – and why it’s a mistake to cut too soon

May 15, 2024 07:52 am UTC| Economy Central Banks

Central banks in Europe are discovering an old dilemma: when they lower interest rates because inflation is slowing down, its likely to weaken their currencies. This in turn may delay the fall in inflation towards their...

Central Banking Series

If the RBA’s right, interest rates may not fall for another year. Here’s why.

May 08, 2024 11:04 am UTC| Economy Central Banks

The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. Thats a big change compared to just three months ago. Back...

Central Banking Series

High interest rates aren’t going away anytime soon – a business economist explains why

May 02, 2024 06:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at its May 1, 2024, policy meeting, dashing the hopes of potential homebuyers and others who were hoping for a cut. Not only will rates remain at their current level a...

Central Banking Series

What if the Reserve Bank itself has been feeding inflation? An economist explains

Apr 23, 2024 07:59 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Heres something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its attempt to restrain inflation in May...

Central Banking Series

The yen plunges to 34-year low despite interest rate hike

Apr 17, 2024 09:46 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Central Banks

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years on March 19, bringing an era of negative interest rates to an end. The key rate was hiked from 0.1% to a band from zero to 0.1% a token effort...