OREANDA-NEWS The Bank of Russia will keep the key rate at 18 percent in September, this assessment was given by Denis Popov, chief analyst at PSB, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to him, the prerequisites for this are the gradual development of trends to reduce inflation and the cooling of economic activity and domestic demand. The expert also admitted the possibility of a gradual easing of the monetary policy of the regulator at the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Ilya Fedorov, Chief Economist at BCS World of Investments, holds a similar opinion about keeping the key rate at the same level. "In the current situation, the Central Bank chooses between the speed of achieving the goal and the stability and sustainability of the process of achieving the goal and maintaining inflation," he explained.

Earlier, Rosbank analysts suggested that an increase in the key rate to 19 percent per annum would most likely take place on October 25, following the next meeting of the Central Bank's board of directors.