Virus ‘wild card’ threat

Rising concern: A man runs past the Bank of Japan building in Tokyo. The central bank says it wouldn’t hesitate to shield its economy due to the coronavirus fallout. — Reuters

HONG KONG: Global central bankers are biding their time as the coronavirus fallout reverberates through the world economy, which they had hoped was stabilising after its worst year since the financial turmoil of 2009.

While yet to respond with major stimulus, monetary policy makers across the globe have expressed concern and signaled a willingness to act if the virus delivers a triple and sustained blow to demand, inflation and financial markets.