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...
Malaysia's international reserves dipped slightly to US$118.1 billion as of Dec 13, 2024, down from US$118.3 billion two weeks earlier, according to a statement by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) on Friday.
Key Highlights
Reserves Position
- The reserves are sufficient to:
- Finance 4.6 months of imports of goods and services.
- Cover 0.9 times the country’s short-term external debt.
Breakdown of Reserves
- Foreign Currency Reserves:
- Declined slightly to US$105.1 billion (Nov 29: US$105.4 billion).
- Special Drawing Rights (SDRs):
- Increased to US$6 billion (Nov 29: US$5.9 billion).
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Reserves Position:
- Remained unchanged at US$1.3 billion.
- Gold:
- Steady at US$3.3 billion.
- Other Reserve Assets:
- Unchanged at US$2.4 billion.
BNM’s Total Assets and Currency in Circulation
- Total Assets:
- Rose to RM597.36 billion (Nov 29: RM595.77 billion).
- Currency in Circulation:
- Stood at RM167.59 billion.
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