Central Bank of Russia
Pakistani and Russian Central Bank Interest Rates Undergo Big Changes in Opposite Directions
April 8, 2022
The latest batch of central bank interest rate decisions includes a 250 basis point hike in the State Bank of Pakistan’s policy rate to 12.25%. The decision was made at an emergency unscheduled meeting, accompanied by an upwardly revised 11% projected rate of inflation this year, and explicitly intended to restore a premium between the […] More
More Bad Inflation News and a Diversity of Central Bank Decisions
April 8, 2022
The dollar continued to trade at historically firm levels overnight. The weighted DXY dollar index is up 0.1% and touched another multiyear high of 99.99. Gains of 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.2% were made against the New Zealand, Australian and British currencies, but the greenback dipped 0.2% versus the Russian ruble. Asian stock markets made modest […] More
A Turn for the Worse in Ukraine-Russian Conflict Sends Dollar Up and Equities Down
March 18, 2022
Hopes had been kindled early this week by reports of progress in cease-fire talks, but those signs have not panned out, and a new worry is that China is moving closer to supporting Putin’s imperialistic ambitions. The Central Bank of Russia did not raise its 20% policy rate further at today’s scheduled review, claiming that […] More
Escalating Financial and Political Chaos in Ukraine and Russia, and Rest of World Feeling Pain, Too
February 28, 2022
Ukrainian and Russian talks in Belarus are unlikely to defuse the military conflict. Russian President Putin seeks to replace Ukraine’s government and has insinuated that he may use nuclear weapons if Nato doesn’t back off. In this high stakes game game of chicken, Nato allies seek to decapitate the Russian ruble and financial markets and […] More
Russian Monetary Policy Rate Hiked Full Percentage Point to 9.5%
February 11, 2022
The Central Bank of Russia took even more aggressive monetary policy action, lifting its policy rate to 9.5% following increases of 100 basis points also in December and 75 bps in October. Over the past 11 months, the rate has risen 525 basis points, and a released statement “holds open the prospect of further key […] More
Many Investors Revising Expected Fed Tightening Upward as Inflationary Pressure Spreads and Other Central Banks Move Aggressively
February 11, 2022
There were further repercussions today in the aftermath of Thursday’s U.S. January CPI release. Some analysts now think that the federal funds rate could be hiked at every remaining FOMC meeting this year, and there’s been more speculation over the possibility of larger incremental moves than the standard of 25 basis points. The ten-year U.S. […] More
Russian Central Bank Rate Hike
December 17, 2021
The Central Bank of Russia has raced even harder to overtake inflation, which has climbed to 8.4% from 4.9% at the end of 2020. The latest increase by Russian monetary officials announced today is a full percentage point to 8.5% in size. This was the sixth hike since March, the total of which has equaled […] More
Stock Markets Drop in Wake of Week’s Spotlight on Central Banks and World Inflation
December 17, 2021
Other factors weighing on investor appetite for riskier assets include Omicron, whose true threat to public health and economic growth remains uncertain, and congressional paralysis over President Biden’s Build Back Better Bill. Two more central banks hiked their interest rates. The Bank of Mexico‘s increase late Thursday of 50 basis points to 5.5% reflected a […] More
Central Bank of Russia
September 10, 2021
The Bank of Russia‘s key interest rate was lifted for the fifth time since March. In all, the rate has climbed 250 basis points to 6.75%, but today’s move of 25 basis points matched the previously smallest change, which happened to be the initial increment. With GDP back to its pre-pandemic level and “given high […] More
Central Bank of Russia Hikes Interest Rate Further
July 23, 2021
The Central Bank of Russia’s policy interest rates was raised today for a full percentage point to 6.5%, which more than reversed last year’s entire easing from 6.25% to 4.25%. Along with increases of 25 basis points in March, 50 bps in April, 75 bps in May and 50 bps in June, the Russian central […] More
