Bank of Korea
Bank of Korea
July 13, 2017
Thirteen months have passed since the last base rate change in South Korea, and although central bank officials bumped projected 2017 economic growth up somewhat to 2.8%, the base rate was left at 1.25%. Five cuts spaced out from April 2014 to June 2016 had previously halved the policy interest rate. A statement released today […] More
Bank of Korea
May 25, 2017
South Korea’s central bank base rate was again left at 1.25%. It’s been at that level since a 25-basis point cut in June 2016. Previously a pair of such reductions were each implemented in 2014 and 2015. A released statement after the May monthly policy review projects sub-target total core inflation in the mid- to […] More
Bank of Korea
April 13, 2017
South Korea’s central bank base rate was cut five times from August 2014 to June 2016 by a total of 125 basis points, halving the key interest rate to 1.25%. While modestly bumping up projected GDP growth in 2017 from 2.5% that was forecast three months ago, monetary officials still anticipate only moderate expansion and […] More
Bank of Korea
February 23, 2017
South Korea’s central bank retained a 1.25% Base Rate as was expected. That’s been the level for the past eight months. A 25-basis point reduction in June 2016 broke a one-year-long period with no change. Four 25-bp reductions had been implemented in August and October of 2014 and then March and June of 2015. A […] More
Bank of Korea Maintains a Loose Monetary Stance
January 13, 2017
At this year’s first interest rate policy meeting, officials at the Bank of Korea left the seven-day repo rate at a record low of 1.25%, its level since a 25-basis point cut last June. Similarly sized reductions were engineered in August and October of 2014 and March and June of 2015. A statement released today noted […] More
Bank of Korea
December 15, 2016
Four 25-basis point interest rate cuts from August 2014 to June 2015 were followed more recently by yet another 25-bp reduction in June of this year. South Korea’s 7-day repo rate now stands at 1.25%, a record low. A policy statement released today. South Korea is sustaining only modest growth, and inflation is low with […] More
Investors Ponder What the Changes Will Bring
November 11, 2016
The post-election rally of equities hit a bump overnight. Stocks fell 2.5% in India, 4.0% in Indonesia, 1.9% in Hong Kong, 0.7% in Singapore but rose 0.8% in China and Australia. Japan’s Nikkei edged up 0.2% following a huge run-up on Thursday. European share prices are down 1.1% in the U.K., 0.8% in France, 0.9% […] More
Bank of Korea’s Key Interest Rate Left at 1.25%
November 10, 2016
The last change in the 7-day repo rate was a 25-basis point cut in June. Four earlier reductions were made between August 2014 and June 2015. CPI inflation accelerated to 1.3% in October from 0.4% in August, but the forecast of modest growth faces even more uncertainty than before, according to a released statement, because […] More
Bank of Korea
October 13, 2016
Policymakers at the Bank of Korea did not raise their one-week repo rate of 1.25%, a record low, in spite of a tripling of CPI inflation to 1.2% in September and a projection that positive growth will continue in the vicinity of 3%. In a statement released after the October policy meeting, officials stressed the […] More
Bank of Korea
September 9, 2016
The Bank of Korea continues to employ an accommodative monetary stance. Inflation is too low. On-year consumer prices rose 0.4% overall and 1.1% on core components. Both rates were lower than in July. Regarding growth, a statement released today “forecasts that the domestic economy will sustain its trend of modest growth going forward, owing chiefly […] More
