Malaysia maintains 2.75% rate amid cooling inflation and economic growth

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia’s central bank maintained its benchmark interest rates for a second successive meeting, a widely expected move with most analysts of the view that the country is in the final cycle of rate hikes.

With Bank Negara still assessing the effects of last year’s monetary tightening on economic growth and inflation, the decision was made on Thursday (Mar 9) to hold the overnight policy rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent.

Sixteen out of 26 economists polled by Reuters earlier this week had expected the central bank to keep the OPR unchanged, while the rest projecting a rise of 25 basis points.