Press Release on Interest Rates – 23/02/2016, (2016-09)

No: 2016-09

23 February 2016

DECISION OF THE MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE

Participating Committee Members

Erdem Başçı (Governor), Ahmet Faruk Aysan, Murat Çetinkaya, Turalay Kenç, Necati Şahin, Abdullah Yavaş, Mehmet Yörükoğlu. 

The Monetary Policy Committee (the Committee) has decided to keep the short term interest rates constant at the following levels:

a)    Overnight Interest Rates: Marginal Funding Rate at 10.75 percent, and borrowing rate at 7.25 percent,
b)    One-week repo rate at 7.5 percent,
c)    Late Liquidity Window Interest Rates (between 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.): Borrowing rate at 0 percent, and lending rate at 12.25 percent.

Annual loan growth continues at reasonable rates in response to the tight monetary policy stance and macroprudential measures. The favorable developments in the terms of trade and the moderate course of consumer loans contribute to the improvement in the current account balance. Demand from the European Union economies continues to support exports at an increasing pace, despite elevated geopolitical risks in other export markets. The Committee assesses that the implementation of the announced structural reforms would contribute to the potential growth significantly.

Energy price developments affect inflation favorably, while other cost factors limit the improvement in the core indicators. Considering the wage developments and the impact of the uncertainty in global markets on inflation expectations and pricing behavior and taking into account the volatility in energy and unprocessed food prices, the Committee stated that the tight liquidity stance will be maintained as long as deemed necessary.

Future monetary policy decisions will be conditional on the inflation outlook. Taking into account inflation expectations, pricing behavior and the course of other factors affecting inflation, the tight monetary policy stance will be maintained. 

It should be emphasized that any new data or information may lead the Committee to revise its stance.

The summary of the Monetary Policy Committee Meeting will be released within five working days.