Turkey Central Bank to keep interest rates


ISTANBUL — Turkey's Central Bank is unlikely to change interest rates at its Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Thursday, economists have told an Anadolu Agency finance survey.Fourteen of the 20 economists taking part in the survey said Monday they expect the one-week repo rate to remain at 10 percent, the marginal funding rate at 12 percent and the borrowing interest rate at 8 percent. Only six economists predict a change-an overal drop between 0.25 and 1.00 basis points.Three economists also expect the interest rate and the one-week repo rate to decrease 0.25 or 0.50 basis points.The economists have reported they do not expect any changes in the required reserve ratio.On January 28, the Central Bank more than doubled its borrowing rate from 3.5 percent to 8 percent, and raised the lending rate from 7.75 percent to 12 percent.