Central Bank Watch
Central Bank of Malaysia Eases Monetary Policy While Bank of Thailand Passes
May 8, 2019
Bank Negara Malaysia’s Overnight Policy Rate was sliced to 3.0%, reversing a 25-basis point hike engineered in January 2018 and restoring the stance that had existed from July 2015 until that change in early 2018. A released statement notes, “there are some signs of tightening of financial conditions. The adjustment to the OPR is therefore […] More
Central Bank Watch
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Cuts Official Cash Rate to 1.50% from 1.75%
May 8, 2019
Today’s central bank interest rate cut is the eighth of this easing cycle but the first since a similar-sized reduction 30 months earlier. Quarter percentage point cuts also were made in June, July, September and October of 2015 and in March and June of 2016. Policy continues to have a downside bias. A released statement […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Monetary Policy Reviews, an Intensifying U.S. Political Crisis, Trade Talks, and Some Data Surprises
May 8, 2019
Central bank officials in New Zealand and Malaysia cut their interest rates, while those in Thailand maintained an “accommodative but appropriate” 1.75% rate level. Thailand’s growth outlook was revised downward, but the inflation prognosis wasn’t changed. New Zealand’s official cash rate was lowered 25 basis points to 1.5%. Such had been 1.75% since November 2016. […] More
