7. Interest Rates

Banks Slash Rates; Pound, Euro, Franc Drop
The Europe’s currencies posted a daily drop against the U.S. dollar after showing a moderate volatility during the early trading session after the regional central banks cut the interest rates at an unexpectedly large scale.
Bank Indonesia Raises Borrowing Costs
The Bank Indonesia increased the interest rates today for its third meeting in a row to efficiently fight the accelerating inflation caused by the growing food and oil prices.
Polish Zloty Gains for Second Week
The rising interest rates difference between the U.S. and Poland stimulated the second week of Polish zloty’s growth against the U.S. dollar.
AUD, NZD Going for 5th Daily Gain
Today both the Australian and New Zealand dollars continued their daily growth against their counterpart from the United States on willingness of the Forex traders to earn from the interest rates difference.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia Cut Interest Rates
GCC states — Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia — decided to cut their deposit rates from 3.50% to 3.00% today, following the yesterday’s interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
Reserve Bank of India Holds Interest Rates
The majority of Forex traders expected that the Reserve Bank of India will lower the main interest rates today to pare with recent emergency cut by the Fed and the anticipated additional interest cut at tomorrow Fed’s meeting. But Yaga Venugopal Reddy, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, decided to leave the key interest rates at the same level.
Czech and Polish Central Banks Leave Rates Unchanged
After two other European central banks decided to hold their current interest rates, Czech and Polish banks chose to follow the same way and didn’t change their reference interest rates despite the fact that they both raised the rates at the end of November.
Swedish Riksbank Leaves Rate at 4.00%
Swedish central bank left the main interest rate unchanged at 4.00% during the meeting of the Executive Board on 18 December.
Hungarian Central Bank Holds Rate - Forint Drops
Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian Central Bank) decided today during the Monetary Council’s meeting to hold the main refinancing interest rate at the same level - 7.50%, after the last cut made from 7.75% by MNB on September 25.
Central Bank of Chile Raised Interest Rate
Yesterday Chilean central bank increased its interest rate by 0.25 basis points up to 6.0%. It was the first rate hike in Chile since September 13 this year.