Economics

Turkey Hardens Tone on Rate Hold, Reducing Chance of Cut in 2024

  • The MPC left its main interest rate at 50% for seventh month
  • Central bank cites uncertainty over improvement on inflation

The Bosphorus strait, Istanbul.

Photographer: Nicole Tung/Bloomberg
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Turkey’s central bank extended its interest-rate pause for a seventh month and adopted a more hard-line stance on the course of inflation, pushing back expectations for a rate cut into next year.

The Monetary Policy Committee under Governor Fatih Karahan kept the one-week repo rate at 50%, in line with almost all forecasts in a Bloomberg survey. The policymakers had appeared to soften their position last month, prompting analysts to believe a rate cut could be imminent, but Thursday’s statement reversed the course.