Japan central bank maintains key interest rate

Oct. 7, 2008

Japan's central bank left its key interest rate unchanged Tuesday amid heightened anxiety that the U.S. credit crisis was quickly spreading from Wall Street to Europe and beyond. In a widely expected decision, the Bank of Japan voted unanimously to maintain...

Bank of Japan moves to free up lending

TOKYO, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The Bank of Japan said Tuesday it would initiate a series of steps to pump $32 billion into the economy.

Bernanke says rate cuts are 'feasible'

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday that further reductions in the current lending rate are possible.

King says BOE may cut rates again

LONDON, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Bank of England Gov. Mervyn King said Tuesday the central bank may need to cut rates to stimulate the country's sluggish lending.

Inflation falls sharply in Britain

LONDON, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Inflation in Britain fell in October by the biggest margin since 1997, possibly signaling a central bank lending rate cut in December, an economist said.

BOE sees sharp contraction ahead

LONDON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The British economy could shrink 2 percent in the second quarter of 2009, the Bank of England said Thursday.

Britain prodded reluctant banks on rates

LONDON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- British bankers had to be strong-armed by Chancellor Alistair Darling into passing along a Bank of England interest rate cut to consumers, sources say.

ECB rate cut falls short, France says

PARIS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the European Central Bank's lending rate cut this week wasn't good enough.

Lloyds to pass rate cut on to customers

LONDON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A major British bank said it would pass on the full lending rate cut announced by the Bank of England Thursday to its customers.

Two key banks cut lending rates in Europe

LONDON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Two central banks in Europe cut their lending rates Thursday -- the Bank of England by 1.5 points and the European Central Bank by 0.5 point.

Japan may not cut interest rate further

TOKYO, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Japan's central bank, which cut its key interest rate to 0.3 percent from 0.5 percent, appeared unlikely Wednesday to cut more as indicated by its governor.

Nikkei closes up 6.27 percent

TOKYO, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Japan's Nikkei index, spurred by a weaker yen and a calmer Wall Street, closed sharply higher Tuesday while other Asian-Pacific markets were mixed.

Australian officials to cut interest rates

SYDNEY, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The Australian Reserve Bank is expected to cut interest rates Tuesday amid a sharp decline in home prices, officials said.

Banks in Britain fail to lower rates

LONDON, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Half of Britain's banks failed to lower interest rates on adjustable rate mortgages after the Bank of England cut its rate Oct. 8, a research group said.

Japan interest rate cut

TOKYO, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The Bank of Japan Friday cut its key interest rate to 0.3 percent from 0.5 percent, the first such cut in seven years, to boost Japan's sluggish economy.

Japan's growth forecast cut sharply

TOKYO, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Japan's central bank, noting the nation's slowing economy, Friday drastically cut fiscal 2008 growth forecast to 0.1 percent from its July 1.2 percent estimate.