Russia’s Central Bank holds key interest rate at record low level

Russia’s Central Bank holds key interest rate at record low level

People walk past the Central Bank headquarters in Moscow Reuters Russian Central Bank (CB) held its key interest rate at record low level of 4. 25% and said it will not cut rates further, instead planning to start gradually raising them at some point in the future when inflation stabilises near its target. Russia slashed rates in 2020 to help its economy through the COVID-19 pandemic, related lockdowns and a drop in the price of oil, the country's main export. But the rouble's depreciation in the past year fanned consumer inflation, the central bank's remit, limiting room for additional rate cuts as recommended recently by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, presenting the rate decision at an online media conference, said the bank's board did not consider cutting or raising rates at Friday's meeting. "We think the potential for monetary easing has been exhausted. In 2021, the monetary policy will remain soft, supporting recovery in the Russian economy," Nabiullina said. The central bank kept its 2021 economic growth forecast at 3-4% after the economy shrank 3. 1% last year. That contraction, though smaller than the central bank had predicted, was the sharpest in 11 years. Inflation