Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Best Gold Stocks to Buy Now: AABB, GOLD, GDX 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
RBA Expected to Raise Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points in February, ANZ Forecast Says 
Fed Confirms Rate Meeting Schedule Despite Severe Winter Storm in Washington D.C. 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is expected to adopt a 25 basis points hike in its benchmark interest rate by the fourth quarter of this year; however, the central bank’s bias will remain hawkish given persistent concerns about financial stability risks, according to the latest report from ANZ Research.
Notably, two out of six members (one other member was absent) voted for a rate hike at its last meeting in February. Household debt growth has picked up since Q3 2017 and is now outpacing nominal GDP growth at a time when household leverage is already very high.
The BoT is also concerned about search-for-yield behaviour amid an environment of low rates, particularly in saving cooperatives.
The upshot is that export sector weakness is likely to drag down overall GDP growth in H1 to the low 3 percent-range. Coupled with weak inflation, a rate hike by the central bank of Thailand now looks unlikely in the near term, the report added.
"Overall, we are now revising our full-year 2019 growth forecast from 4.0 percent to 3.8 percent to reflect a disappointing H1 and pushing back our expectations for a 25bp rate hike by the BoT from Q2 2019 to Q4 2019," ANZ commented.
