Central banks expected to announce rate cuts

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.