National Bank of Kazakhstan
Analysts Surprised by Another Interest Rate Hike in Kazakhstan
July 25, 2022
The National Bank of Kazakhstan, one of the former members of the USSR, became the latest central bank with a policy rate increase to fend off runaway inflation. The interest rate increase of 50 basis points to 14.5% follows earlier increases of 50 basis points in April, 325 basis points in February, 50 bps […] More
Last Week of July Starts with Equities and Bond Yields Rising and Dollar and Bitcoin Falling
July 25, 2022
The dollar fell overnight by 0.6% against the peso and sterling, 0.4% versus the ruble and Australian and Canadian dollars, 0.3% relative to the euro but rose 0.3% against the yen, 0.2% versus the Swiss franc and 0.6% vis-a-vis the Turkish lira. The weighted DXY dollar index is 0.4% softer. U.S. equity futures point to […] More
Macron Wins with 58.6% of the Vote but Recessionary Fears Extend Equity Losses Around the World
April 25, 2022
Although less than the 66.1% to 33.9% margin of victory in 2017, French President Macron was reelected, beating Le Pen by a greater margin than expected. His margin this time was still comfortable at 17.2% — 58.6% to 41.1%. Had Le Pen’s far-right National Rally captured the government, the unity of NATO against Russian aggression […] More
National Bank of Kazakhstan’s Policy Interest Rate Kept at 13.5%
March 9, 2022
Officials at the National Bank of Kazakhstan, a country which like Ukraine had been once part of the Soviet empire, had in emergency session raised their policy interest rate by 325 basis points on February 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. Consequently, at today’s scheduled policy review, officials did not move the interest further. Earlier […] More
A Day of Bottom-Fishing
March 9, 2022
It’s been a rough period for financial market participants since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. After large rises in sovereign debt yields, commodity prices, and the dollar juxtaposed against steep drops in equities, investors this Wednesday have taken their cue from the price of oil and pulled back from recent extremes. At $120.80 per […] More
National Bank of Kazakhstan Lifts Key Interest Rate by 325 Basis Points and to Over Five-Year High
February 24, 2022
In Kazakhstan, which like Ukraine had been part of the defunct Soviet Union empire, the central bank today hoisted its policy interest rate by a whopping 325 basis points to 13.50%. That increase follows hikes of 50 basis points in January and a trio of 25-bp moves in the second half of 2021. The Kazakhstan […] More
Stampede Into Safe Havens After Russia Invades Ukraine
February 24, 2022
Overnight advances of the U.S. dollar amount to 6.0% against the Russian ruble, 3.3% relative to the Ukraine hryvnia, 2.8% against the Turkish lira, 2.4% versus the Swedish krona and Brazilian real, 1.8% against the Mexican peso, 1.5% versus sterling, 1.4% vis-a-vis the euro, Korean won and New Zealand dollar, 1.2% relative to the Chinese […] More
Dollar Buoyed by Risk Aversion Ahead of FOMC Meeting and Also Fanned by Ukraine Tensions and Weak Purchasing Manager Surveys
January 24, 2022
The dollar has stremgthened 0.3% against the euro, loonie and on a weighted DXY basis. Even sharper advances can be seen of 0.7% relative to the Australian dollar and 0.5% versus sterling. The global sell-off of equities has resumed, with losses today of 2.6% in India, 1.5% in South Korea, 1.3% in New Zealand and […] More
Rate Hikes in Kazakhstan and Tajikstan
October 25, 2021
Two central banks from the former Soviet empire raised interest rates in response to rising and above-target inflation. The National Bank of Tajikstan lifted its policy rate by 25 basis points to 13.25%. The rate had been raised previously this year by a full percentage point in both April and July after an initial 25-basis […] More
Equities and Dollar Rise after Difficult Week
September 13, 2021
Equity markets in Europe have strengthened slightly more than 1.0% in Italy and Spain and by 0.7-0.9% in Germany, France and Great Britain. U.S. stock futures are up around 0.6%, but markets earlier in the Pacific Rim had given no warning as what was to come with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index faltering 1.5% and […] More
