Pakistan central bank keeps interest rate steady as inflation seen easing

Pakistan held its benchmark interest rate steady for the first time in four meetings, opting to watch the effects of previous increases on Asia’s fastest inflation.

The State Bank of Pakistan decided to keep the target rate unchanged at 9.75 per cent, governor Reza Baqir told reporters in Karachi on Monday. Thirty-nine of the 43 economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted the decision, while the rest forecast a hike in the range of 25 to 50 basis points.

The decision is in line with the central bank’s intent to monitor developments affecting financial stability and economic growth, even as it expects previous increases to temper domestic demand and cool inflation going ahead.

The pause - which comes after the central bank delivered 275 basis points of increases since September - is expected to support a recovery in the economy amid looming risks from the Omicron variant of coronavirus.