News about Bank Negara Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (March 5): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has kept its benchmark overnight policy rate (OPR) unchanged at 2.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): The Penang government is holding high-level discussions with key federal regulators to advance a plan for an international financial centre in the state.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Malaysia’s central bank has kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged as expected, taking comfort in a resilient economy with moderate inflation.

At the current level, BNM said it “considers the monetary policy stance to be appropriate and supportive of the economy amid price stability”.

“While the domestic economy is on a strong footing, uncertainties surrounding external developments could affect Malaysia’s growth prospects,” BNM said.

About half of 23 economists polled predict a cut from 3%, while the rest expect the central bank to stand pat.

“Continued observations of preferences for more flexible tenancy contracts and hybrid work arrangements suggest adjustments in supply still have some way to go.

Bank Negara Malaysia: "At the current OPR level, the monetary policy stance remains supportive of the economy and is consistent with the current assessment of inflation and growth prospects.

Bank Negara Malaysia resisted pressures to raise the overnight policy rate last November, and “we expect the same this week”, HSBC said.

The policy rate has remained unchanged for 10 months and was last raised in May 2023 by 25 basis points, closing a cycle of what has been called “normalisation” by the central bank.