HomeNewsWorldWeekahead: Central bank arsenals in focus as headwinds linger

Weekahead: Central bank arsenals in focus as headwinds linger

Solid growth in US employment and an unexpected manufacturing uptick in China in March will have provided some comfort on Friday, but headwinds -- Japan's factory sector disappointed last month and euro zone inflation was anaemic -- invariably lurk nearby.

April 02, 2016 / 15:33 IST
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At the end of a tough quarter, the fraught debate over how policymakers should tackle the world's economic woes gets another airing in the coming week as central banks on both sides of the Atlantic publish minutes.
Solid growth in US employment and an unexpected manufacturing uptick in China in March will have provided some comfort on Friday, but headwinds -- Japan's factory sector disappointed last month and euro zone inflation was anaemic -- invariably lurk nearby.

Cue more rumblings over bankers' ability to respond.

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Federal Reserve minutes, released on Wednesday and coming days after chair Janet Yellen set a dovish tone, are likely to provide fodder for those expecting it to remain cautious, though speeches from six more Fed officials, including two ratesetters with hawkish reputations, could shift the tone.

Across the pond, central bank watchers are likely to zone in on the European Central Bank's margin for manoeuvre after it unveiled further stimulus in March with deeper rate cuts and a boost to its monthly asset buys.