Malaysia central bank keeps interest rates unchanged at 3%

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3 per cent on Wednesday (Jan 24), maintaining the key rate for a fourth consecutive meeting.

The decision was widely expected, with all 28 economists in a recent Reuters poll saying they did not expect a change to the overnight policy rate (OPR) at the end of Bank Negara’s first monetary policy meeting of the year.

Bank Negara said in a release that the decision was made in view of steady economic growth, supported by a recovery in exports and more resilient domestic expenditure.