28/11/2025 14:30:00

Central Bank's Annual Research Workshop

The Research Department of the Central Bank of Malta hosted the Annual Research Workshop on Friday, 28 November, during which it launched the eighth edition of its annual Research Bulletin. This publication, the Bank's flagship research output, showcases a selection of its research projects and findings, presented in an accessible format for a wider audience.

The workshop was opened by Governor Professor Edward Scicluna who launched the Research Bulletin. He emphasized the Bank's efforts to adopt granular data and new analytical tools to improve forecasting and better capture both aggregate and distributional effects of shocks that may originate domestically or abroad.

The workshop featured seven presentations, the first five delivered by the Bank staff, covered research featured in the Research Bulletin. These projects emphasized how micro data and machine learning can enhance real-time understanding of inflation dynamics; how tax micro-simulations and survey data shed light on policy-driven distributional issues; and how new models can help us interpret supply-side developments, and cross-border climate spillovers.

Chiara Osbat, Adviser at the Monetary Policy Research Division within the European Central Bank delivered the keynote speech. She underscored the increased adoption by the literature of micro data for macroeconomic analyses, emphasizing its challenges and opportunities, particularly for small economies.

The final presentation, also delivered by Bank staff, examined how machine learning techniques applied to a mix of economic and climate data can improve the nowcasting of sectoral and regional real activity.

The workshop concluded with remarks from Deputy Governor Alexander Demarco, who reaffirmed the Economics Division's commitment to expanding its expertise to address emerging policy challenges shaping central bank research across the euro area.

Back row (left to right): Mr Noel Rapa, Dr Massimo Giovannini, Mr Glenn Abela,
Dr Theodossios Drossidis, Dr Germano Ruisi
Front row (left to right): Dr Aaron G. Grech, Governor Professor Edward Scicluna, Dr Chiara Osbat,
Ms Sarah Spiteri, Deputy Governor Alexander Demarco, Mr Jacopo Zacché

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