Bernanke’s action, Italian reform and new BoJ chief are crucial issues this week

LONDON: This week should bring clarity on three major issues hanging over the world economy: might the Federal Reserve withdraw monetary stimulus sooner rather than later? Will Italy elect a stable, reform-minded government? Will Japan pick a central bank chief determined to end deflation?

After a set of Fed minutes last week initially interpreted as hawkish, most economists expect chairman Ben Bernanke to use an appearance before Congress to reaffirm that, in the words of St Louis Fed president James Bullard on Friday, “Fed policy is very easy right now and is going to stay easy for a long time.”