Arguing that inflation expectations are within the target range, in Costa Rica the Central Bank decided to keep the monetary policy rate unchanged.
The last increase in the monetary policy rate was made in early November 2018, when the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) decided to raise it from 5% to 5.25%, arguing that forecasts suggest that inflation in 2019 could be above the upper limit of the target range.
Arguing that the predictions suggest that inflation in 2019 could be above the upper limit of the target range, the Central Bank of Costa Rica decided to raise the monetary policy rate from 5% to 5.25%.
From the statement of the Central Bank of Costa Rica:
November 1st, 2018. The Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), in the session of October 31st, 2018, decided to increase the monetary policy rate (TPM) by 25 basic points to 5.25% annually. The Board of Directors also agreed to increase the gross interest rate on one-day deposits (DON) by 19 basis points to 3.23% annually. Both increases are in effect from November 1st, 2018.
Claiming that in the last few months inflation expectations have increased, the Central Bank has raised the monetary policy rate from 4.75% to 5%, from February 1st.
The Central Bank argues that the price of oil has maintained a bullish behavior since July 2017. This situation, with a backlog, is transferring to the local price of fuels, with a potential transmission in the coming months towards other prices.
For the sixth time in the year and arguing future inflationary pressures, the Central Bank has raised the monetary policy rate to 4.75% as of November 30.
Consulted on the matter by Nacion.com, economist Alberto Franco said that "...Before the absence of clear signs of greater inflationary pressures and a slowdown in local economic activity in recent months, this measure, in my opinion, could seek, fundamentally, to preserve the premium for investing in colones, in the face of a very likely increase in the reference rate of the Central Bank of the United States, the FED, in this next month of December."
For the second time this month and arguing short-term inflationary pressures, the central bank has decided to raise the monetary policy rate from 2.25% to 2.50%.
This increase in the monetary policy rate follows the one announced on April 6, when the Central Bank raised it to 2.25%, before then it had remained at 1.75% since January 2016.
If one thing the current authorities of the Central Bank have stated clear is the concern about the stability of all macroeconomic variables, starting with the exchange rate.
From analysis given in a blog by Aldesa, Pulso Bursatil:
Since the review of the Macroeconomic Program 2013, where the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) decided to remove the controversial cap on credit growth, a document of this type has not been presented, with so many changes and announcements of importance to the Costa Rican economy, as presented on Saturday.
The Central Bank has lowered its inflation forecast to 4% for 2014 and projects increases in interest rates in colones and dollars.
From a Communiqué from the Central Bank of Costa Rica:
The Board of the Central Bank of Costa Rica, in Article 4 of the 5633-2014 session of January 29, 2014 approved the 2014-15 macroeconomic program.
This program is intended to inform the public on the performance of key macroeconomic variables during 2013, as well as the goals, policy measures, assumptions and projections for the next two years, consistent with the priorities and subsidiaries assigned in Article 2 of the Organic Law (Law 7558).
The recent increase in the value of the Costa Rican colon versus the dollar is worrisome, not only because there are no clear reasons to explain it, but also because it would be hard to contain it without causing greater problems.
In the past weeks, and without apparent reason, the price of the U.S. dollar in Costa Rica dropped considerably.
Last week we surveyed some financial operators as to why these movements where occurring, the general answer being: “we don’t know”.
The public finances of Costa Rica went rapidly from surplus to a 4% deficit, with negative outlook.
A preliminary analysis of the situation shows that the problem is not in revenues, which have been constant in real terms, but expenses, which have increased since August 2008.
The global financial and economic crisis hit the Costa Rican economy, causing the Government to double social spending, in addition to enlarging the state’s payroll and increasing salaries.