Policy risk: A pedestrian walks past Krungthai Bank’s headquarters in Bangkok. The country’s Finance Minister has expressed hope that the Monetary Policy Committee will lower the policy rate at its Dec 18 meeting. — Bloomberg
BANGKOK: International news agencies are reporting that central banks around the world are concluding their final monetary policy meetings of 2024 this week, led by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) on Dec 17 to 18.
Most analysts predict a 0.25% rate cut, but the Fed may signal a slower pace of rate cuts in 2025 as US inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target.
This comes amid persistent inflation and improved US economic indicators since September 2024.
Another factor is Donald Trump’s victory, which brings policy risks, such as raising tariffs on Chinese and other imports.
Economists view these measures as inflationary.
Last week, the European Central Bank (ECB) cut its interest rate by 0.25% as expected, marking the fourth reduction this year, totalling 1.0%.
This brings the deposit rate to 3% and the lending rate to 3.40%, with signals of continued monetary easing into next year.
ECB President Christine Lagarde stated that the disinflation process is on the right track.
This is with eurozone inflation projected to reach 2.1% in 2025 and decline to 1.9% in 2026.
In addition to the ECB, several European central banks announced year-end rate cuts.
The Swiss National Bank surprised markets with a 0.5% rate cut on Dec 12, while Denmark’s central bank reduced rates by 0.25%.
Additionally, the Bank of England will conclude its meeting on Dec 19, with analysts expecting rates to remain unchanged at 4.75%.
Most analysts predict that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will maintain its policy interest rate at its Dec 18 to 19 meeting, as it awaits clearer signals on domestic wage trends and spending, while closely monitoring potential policy shifts under a Trump-led US administration.
Survey results indicate that analysts expect the BoJ to hold its policy rate at 0.25%, with a rate hike likely postponed to January.
The BoJ last raised interest rates in July and hinted at further hikes if wages and inflation align with projections.
In Thailand, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira expressed hope that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will lower the policy rate at its Dec 18 meeting, citing low inflation despite improved economic growth in the second half of 2024.
Pichai noted that the 2025 inflation target framework is nearing completion and will be submitted to the Cabinet in December.
The Finance Ministry and Bank of Thailand aim to coordinate monetary and fiscal policies, targeting a balanced inflation rate of around 2%.
Economists do not share his optimism, however.
Furthermore, CIMB Thai Bank Research and Investment Advisory head Amonthep Chawla predicted that MPC will maintain the policy rate at 2.25% during its upcoming meeting. While he acknowledged the possibility of a rate cut due to slower economic growth and rising risks for 2025, he believes it will not happen this time.
Amorntep expects the MPC to reduce the policy rate in February and anticipates a total of three rate cuts throughout the year, bringing the rate to 1.50% by the third quarter to align with a slower economic growth outlook.
Phacharaphot Nuntramas, chief economist at Krungthai Bank, assessed the probability of a rate cut at this meeting to be less than 50%, as the Thai economy is expected to grow at 4% in the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q24) and continue at the same rate in the 1Q25 period.
Furthermore, the chief economist is of the view that the economy is performing relatively well and does not foresee a rate cut in this meeting.
However, he anticipates the MPC will reduce the rate to 2% next year, based on a projected GDP growth of 2.7% to 2.8%.
If the economy grows below 2.5%, he expects a more significant rate cut. — The Nation/ANN
