It would be misguided to expect cash-like features of a central bank digital currency, according to one of the monetary authorities furthest ahead in exploring such a system. Central Bank Digital Money Won’t Replicate Cash, Sweden’s Riksbank Says (msn.com)
Fluency, the UK-based fintech created by Polish emigrants, plans to sell its cryptocurrency banking business and focus on working with central banks’ digital currency efforts, newspaper Puls Biznesu reported on February 15. bne IntelliNews – Polish-UK fintech Fluency to focus on central banks’ digital currency
Democratic Republic of Congo’s economy grew 0.8% in 2020 on the back of strong performance in its mining sector, and is projected to grow 3.2% this year, a central bank advisor said on Tuesday. Congo’s economy grew 0.8% in 2020, to rise 3.2% this year, says central bank | Reuters
Bank of Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Tuesday the recent stock price rally reflected market optimism over the global economic outlook, brushing aside views its ultra-loose monetary policy was fueling an asset price bubble. BOJ’s Kuroda says stock boom reflects economic optimism, defends ETF scheme (cnbc.com)
With global demand returning and supply bottlenecks likely to drive up shipping, food and energy prices, Bank of America believes emerging market inflation could be on the horizon. BofA recommended buying currencies backed by hawkish central banks or a robust balance of payments — namely the Brazilian real, Chinese yuan, Czech koruna and South Korean won — along with oil exporters, most notably the Russian rouble and Russian equities. Bank of America names the emerging market currencies to back as inflation risks mount (cnbc.com)
| Currency pairs | Exchange Rate as of 4:15 pm 8 February 2021(1) | As of 12:36 pm EST Exchange Rate as of 16 February 2021(2)(3) | |
| AUD/USD | 0.7656 | 0.7759 | |
| USD/CAD | 1.2781 | 1.2698 | |
| USD/CNY | 6.4664 | 6.4542 | |
| EUR/USD | 1.2035 | 1.2102 | |
| USD/INR | 72.8500 | 72.8160 | |
| GBP/USD | 1.3714 | 1.3905 | |
| USD/JPY | 105.4400 | 105.8800 | |
| USD/MXN | 20.1300 | 20.2100 | |
| USD/DKK | 6.1785 | 6.1383 | |
| USD/NOK | 8.5428 | 8.4407 | |
| BTC/USD | 45,471.7000 | ||
| ETH/USD | 1,683.8900 |
Alton Drew, Consiglieri 