Corée du Sud Taux d'intérêt

The Bank of Korea kept its base rate unchanged at 3.5% for the 13th time at the August meeting, as widely expected. The move came amid conflicting economic signals where inflation eased but household debt mounted and house prices soared after recent government measures. The board noted short-term inflation expectations had fallen to the upper 2% range. Meanwhile, consumer inflation this year may reach the low 2% range, with an annual rate of 2.5%, slightly below the May forecast of 2.6%; and core inflation is steady at 2.2%. The committee added it would study the proper timing of a rate cut while maintaining a restrictive monetary policy stance. Regarding the GDP, the economy may expand by 2.4% in 2024, a bit lower than an earlier projection of 2.5%, due to the impact of transitory factors on the strong Q1 GDP. In 2025, growth is expected to be around 2.1%, the same as the prior forecast, aided by a recovery in consumption, the rise of the IT sector, and conditions in major countries.