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Taiwan central bank says little space for rate cuts, none seen at June conference

Taiwan has little room at the minute to cut its benchmark rate due to present financial conditions regardless of the rate being at 15 year highs and a cut would be not likely at its next policy meeting in June, the island's central bank chief said on Wednesday.

In a surprise move, the reserve bank recently lifted the benchmark discount rate to 2% from 1.875%, where it had stood because March of last year.

It mentioned inflationary pressures and next month's increase in electricity rates, which will increase by an average of 11% but by more for big industrial users.

Rates of interest now are at 15-year highs however potential customers are bad for rates to decrease, Governor Yang Chin-long informed Taiwan legislators, including that the result of the electricity price boosts on inflation would be reasonably mild.

Asked whether it would be proper to say that the bank would not make further adjustments to the rate at its meeting in June, Yang said: You can most likely say that.

The central bank has said that it expects the customer price index (CPI) to increase 2.16% and core CPI to increase 2.03% this year provided the electrical energy rate walkings, but that inflation will slowly reduce this year.

Yang stated a typical CPI of 2% in the long term is acceptable, however if CPI jumps above 3%, that would be a. different story that may require more tightening up steps.

The central bank has repeatedly noted that Taiwan's. inflation has actually been much milder than that of other major. economies, which accordingly its tightening steps have. likewise been much milder.

(source: Reuters)