Indonesia central bank surprises by cutting key rate 25 bps to 5.50%

MACROECONOMICS - JAKARTA. Indonesia's central bank surprisingly cut the benchmark interest rate for the second time in two months on Thursday, stepping up a bid to support economic growth amid worries there could be a global recession.

Bank Indonesia (BI) cut the 7-day reverse repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 5.50%, as expected by only two of 19 economists in a Reuters poll. The other 17 had predicted no change.

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Governor Perry Warjiyo said the decision was consistent with Indonesia's low inflation outlook.

BI's two other policy rates for overnight deposit and lending facilities were trimmed by 25 bps to 4.75% and 6.25%, respectively.

Last month's rate cut was the first time since September 2017, and many saw as the start of an easing cycle.