Central Bank Watch
Czech National Bank
February 6, 2020
The Czech rate decision, a hike of the 2-week Czech National Bank repo rate to 2.25% from 2.0%, was a surprise and reflects a razor-thin 4-3 voting margin by the Monetary Board. Due in part to higher indirect taxes, CPI inflation has risen to 3.2%, highest since late 2012, and officials don’t expect such to […] More
Central Bank Watch
Rate Cut in the Philippines
February 6, 2020
Also as had been anticipated by analysts, the Filipino reverse repo rate was cut 25 basis points to 3.75%. Such is the fourth such reduction since last May and the first change since September. Inflation has risen to 2.9%, but that is still just in the middle of the central bank’s target of 2-4%. “the […] More
Central Bank Watch
Reserve Bank of India Eases
February 6, 2020
As expected, the Reserve Bank of India left policy settings unchanged, including a 5.15% repo rate, which previously had been cut by a total of 135 basis points between February and October of last year. A statement from the Monetary Policy Committee revised near-term inflation up due to higher onion prices, predicts that GDP will […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Stocks and Dollar Up in Spite of Continuing Coronavirus Worries
February 6, 2020
Share prices today by 2.6% in Hong Kong, 2.4% in Japan, 1.7% in China, 1.5% in Taiwan, 1.0% in Singapore, 1.1% in Australia and 0.9% in South Korea and New Zealand. The German, French and Spanish stock markets are 0.7-1.0% higher. Although up just 0.3%, the U.S. market indices have set record highs. Today’s dollar […] More
