Central bank rate-setters reduce base rate by 75 basis points
The NBH has lowered its forecast for 2024 average annual inflation to 3.5-5.0% from 4.0-5.5% in the previous report.
The NBH has lowered its forecast for 2024 average annual inflation to 3.5-5.0% from 4.0-5.5% in the previous report.
Central bank deputy governor Barnabás Virág said lower-than-expected inflation and improved risk perceptions had allowed for the “temporary” acceleration in the easing cycle from 75bp cuts at the previous policy...
The Council also decided to lower the symmetric interest rate corridor in tandem, bringing the O/N deposit rate to 9.00% and the O/N collateralised loan rate to 11.00%.
The NBH forecasts average annual inflation of 17.6-17.7% for 2023, 4.0-5.5% in 2024 and 2.5-3.5% in 2025.
NBH deputy governor Barnabás Virág had flagged a 75 bp cut — the same as at the policy meeting in October — days earlier.
The Monetary Council also decided to lower the symmetric interest rate corridor in tandem, bringing the O/N deposit rate to 11.25% and the O/N collateralised loan rate to 13.25%.
Barnabás Virág said Hungary’s economy had managed to “avoid grave scenarios” and growth remained above the European Union average.
The Council said inflation risks warrant a further tightening of monetary conditions.
The National Bank of Hungary’s Monetary Council also raised both sides of the interest rate corridor by 30 basis points to 4.4 percent.
The council also decided on Tuesday to raise the O/N deposit rate by 15bp to 0.70 percent and the O/N and one-week collateralized loan rates by 15bp to 2.6 percent.
The Council also decided on 30 basis point base rate hikes at policy meetings in June and July, amid spiking inflation.
They also changed the interest rate corridor to between minus 0.25 and 2.15 percent.
The Council referred to the rate cut as a “fine-tuning measure” that “supports the maintenance of price stability and the recovery of economic growth”.