The Central Bank may again decide to raise the key rate. Is it likely that such a decision will be made as early as February, experts predicted, the Izvestia newspaper writes.
According to analysts, a meeting of the regulator’s board of directors is scheduled for February 16.
The Bank of Russia is likely to keep the discount rate at 16%, says Spartak Sobolev, head of the investment strategies research department at Alfa-Forex. He believes that the decision may be influenced by several factors, including a slowdown in inflation (the annual consumer price index for December stabilized at 7.4%), as well as the achieved effect of strengthening the ruble from the monetary measures taken. In his opinion, until the end of January and February, the dollar may trade in the range of 83.5–93.5 rubles.
Economist and BitRiver Communications Director Andrey Loboda takes a similar position. He is confident that the regulator can maintain the current level of the key rate, but an increase is difficult to completely rule out, since inflation remains high. According to the expert’s forecast, at the end of January the dollar could cost 86–89 rubles, and in February – 83–90 rubles.
Let us remind you that on December 15, the Central Bank raised the key rate for the fifth time in a row – to 16%. The regulator explained its decision by high inflationary pressure.
Source: Rosbalt
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