BoC cuts growth forecast to 1.4% y/y in 2016 and 2.4% y/y in 2017

Jan 21, 2016 07:55 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks

The Canadian central bank has kept its overnight rate unchanged at 0.5% on balanced inflation risks. According to the bank, the inflation trend has been near to its projections. Canadas headline inflation continues to be...

Currency War Series

Central Bank of Brazil likely to start easing policy by August 2016

Jan 21, 2016 07:21 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks

The Central Bank of Brazil kept the Selic rate unchanged at 14.25%. The majority of the board voted to leave the rate unchanged, while two members voted for a rate hike by 50bp. According to the board, the decision to keep...

ECB to reiterate dovish guidance

Jan 21, 2016 02:49 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks

The ECB Governing Council meets today. The benchmarks rates are likely to be left steady, guidance will be dovish with an eye on containing the EUR/USD rebound and defend pressure to ease policy further. Policymakers...

Fitch: Rising Interest Rates to Ease Taiwan Life Insurers' Negative Spreads

Jan 21, 2016 01:14 am UTC| Research & Analysis Central Banks

Fitch Ratings says in a new report that a persistent decline in the costs of insurance liabilities and improvements in recurring investment yields on rising market interest rates will reduce Taiwanese life insurers...

Currency War Series

A second rate cut from Bank Indonesia likely in March

Jan 20, 2016 17:09 pm UTC| Commentary Central Banks

Bank Indonesia (BI) cut its policy rate by 25bp to 7.25% on 14 January, as widely expected. Earlier markets expected BI to cut in February, given the governors recent concern over financial volatility. But renewed downward...

Currency War Series

A dovish BoK tilt adds downward bias for KRW

Jan 20, 2016 15:26 pm UTC| Commentary Central Banks

The Bank of Korea held the policy rate at 1.5% in January, as expected and revised lower the official growth and inflation forecasts for 2016 to 3% (from 3.2%) and 1.4% (1.7%), respectively. The statement that followed had...

2016 likely to be another devastating year for the Loonie

Jan 20, 2016 12:01 pm UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks

The recent commodity price meltdown and especially the crudes struggle causing the reaction function of firms in the Canadian oil and gas sector proposes that business investment may be even more of a drag on 2016 growth...