The Bank of Russia unexpectedly maintained its key interest rate at a record-high 21% , defying analysts’ expectations of another significant hike as inflation remains stubbornly elevated. The decision marks a shift toward a more measured approach in balancing economic growth and price stability. Key Details Inflation Concerns: Annual inflation climbed to 8.9% in November, well above the central bank’s 4% target , with inflation expectations reaching 13.9% in December. Policy Rationale: The central bank cited the significant tightening of monetary conditions after October’s 200-basis point hike as sufficient to resume disinflationary processes. Governor Elvira Nabiullina emphasized avoiding both economic overheating and severe slowdowns. Economic Overheating: Elevated government spending on the war in Ukraine and social programs, coupled with labor shortages and rising wages, have fueled strong domestic demand, exacerbating price pressures...
Currency exchange rate is also one something that we should always look up on to gauge whether import goods from certain countries is getting cheaper or getting more expensive. Another reason for monitoring the currency exchange rate is so that we can know whether the economy in a country is getting better or worse, although nowadays currency exchange rate has slowly become speculative rather than fundamental. As Malaysian, I am always curious how the country currency perform against some major nations like the United States. Malaysian Ringgit Exchange Rate Currency Exchange Rate