BOJ Signals Imminent Interest Rate Hike Amid Strengthening Economic Conditions 
Bank of Korea Holds Interest Rates Steady as Weak Won Limits Policy Flexibility 
Singapore Maintains Steady Monetary Outlook as Positive Output Gap Persists into 2025 
BOJ Seen Moving Toward December Rate Hike as Yen Slides 
New RBNZ Governor Anna Breman Aims to Restore Stability After Tumultuous Years 
Fed Rate Cut Odds Rise as December Decision Looks Increasingly Divided 
Japan’s Inflation Edges Higher in October as BOJ Faces Growing Pressure to Hike Rates 
Kazakhstan Central Bank Holds Interest Rate at 18% as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Fed Officials Split as Powell Weighs December Interest Rate Cut 
RBA Reassesses Pricing Behaviors and Policy Impact Amid Inflation Pressures 
UK Raises Deposit Protection Limit to £120,000 to Strengthen Saver Confidence 
The Federal Reserve FOMC left interest rates flat at 4.25%-4.5% in its January meeting, the minutes released on February 19, 2025, indicated. The committee voted on this by a unanimous vote. The Fed awaits further progress toward inflation before acting on the target range. Policy actions, for example, in the form of tariffs, are feared by the officials to be over the 2% target to leave inflation.
FOMC members were upbeat in their expectations of the economy, which they attributed to optimism about ease of government regulations and changing tax policies. Concurrently, the committee acknowledged the risk to the inflation projection, for instance, to changing trade and immigration policies. Specifically, the minutes indicated worries about President Trump's tariffs and their potential impact on inflation. Firms would pass on higher input costs due to potential tariffs to customers.
The Fed will meet again on March 18-19, 2025. Market predictions are anticipating a potential 0.25% July rate reduction.
