Central Bank Watch
Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Semi-Annual Policy Review
April 13, 2018
Monetary policy in Singapore is subordinated to the enforcement of a targeted exchange rate corridor. Officials do this by specifying three variables: the width of the Singapore dollar’s (SGD) prescribed trading corridor, the mid-point of the corridor, and the corridor’s upward or downward slope over time. In the face of downgraded growth and inflation prospects, […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Continuing Uncertainty Over U.S. Trade Policy and Response to Syria
April 13, 2018
Markets mostly marked time so far this Friday, confused by President Trump’s reinterest in the Trans Pacific Partnership and ambiguous tweet regarding the U.S. response to the Syrian government’s chemical attack. Investors now await reports on first-quarter corporate earnings. The dollar was narrowly mixed overnight, firming 0.4% against the Swiss franc, 0.3% relative to the […] More
Central Bank Watch
Central Reserve Bank of Peru
April 12, 2018
Being an even-numbered calendar month, Peru’s central bank board did not change its policy interest rate in April. The last six reductions, each by 25 basis points, were made at scheduled monthly meetings in the even months of May, July, September, November, January and March. The rate is now at 2.75%, and the statement accompanying […] More
Central Bank Watch
Bank of Mexico Keeps Policy Rate at 7.5%
April 12, 2018
Mexican monetary is focused on on strengthening the anchoring of medium- and long-term inflation expectations and achieving the convergence of actual inflation on the 3.0% target. In response to the steep depreciation of the peso as candidate and then U.S. President Trump espoused an anti-Mexican agenda both in regard immigration and trade policy. The peso’s […] More
Central Bank Watch
National Bank of Ukraine Decides Policy Now Sufficiently Tight
April 12, 2018
From last October to the start of March, Ukraine’s policy interest rate was increased 450 basis points to 17.0% in just four incremental moves. That tightening abruptly reversed a prolonged easing stance, the last element of which was a 50-bp cut last May. The reason for this reversal was a rise of inflation to well […] More
Central Bank Watch
National Bank of Serbia
April 12, 2018
The latest in a multiyear series of cuts in Serbia’s key policy interest rate has reduced such to 3.0% from 3.25%. There was also a 25-basis point cut in the March monthly meeting and, before that, a 50-basis point cut last October. Previous rate cuts totaled 2.75 percentage points in the final eight months of […] More
Central Bank Watch
Bank of Korea Leaves Policy Rate Unchanged
April 12, 2018
After its monthly policy review, South Korean central bank policy board released at statement that leads with a discussion of geopolitical risks. The global financial markets have shown high levels of volatility, with government bond yields and stock prices falling in line mainly with concerns about the worsening trade relations between the US and China. […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Better Market Tone as Still No U.S. Reprisal on Syria
April 12, 2018
Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all. Trump’s tweeted clarification regarding Syria has dampened the perceived immediacy of a geopolitical meltdown. Stocks in response have trimmed yesterday’s losses. Euro area industrial production, which had been forecast to hold generally flat in February, […] More
Central Bank Watch
National Bank of Poland
April 11, 2018
No change was made in Polish monetary policy at the latest review. The reference interest rate has been at 1.5% since a pair of 50-basis point cuts in January and March of 2015. Prior to 2012, the reference rate had been at 4.75%. Officials foresee CPI inflation staying near its target during the forecast horizon […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Down Day for Stocks and Dollar
April 11, 2018
Military conflict between U.S. and Russian forces in Syria appears at hand. Trump is promising missile strikes, and Russia claims to have the ability to knock them out of the sky before targets are hit. Investors are uneasy that these hostilities will escalate further. U.S. consumer price inflation accelerated further in March in spite of […] More
