OREANDA-NEWS At the next meeting, the Bank of Russia will leave the key rate at 21 percent. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to the economists interviewed by it.

They believe that slowing inflation, cooling lending, strengthening of the ruble and signs of improvement in the labor market situation may prompt the regulator to moderate policy. The publication recalled that the Russian currency has strengthened by about 19 percent against the dollar. As for inflation expectations, they decreased in February for the first time in five months.

The labor market, which was the main driver of inflation due to severe labor shortages, is showing early signs of improvement: the unemployment rate rose in January for the first time in more than a year.

Alexander Isakov, the Bank of Russia is likely to keep the interest rate at 21 percent. He stressed that the latest inflation data is in line with the Central Bank's end-of-year forecast of 7-8 percent. Another analyst, Dmitry Polevoy, stated that real rates in the economy are off the charts, and monetary policy can be eased right now.

Earlier, Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, predicted that in the summer of 2025, the Bank of Russia could begin to gradually reduce the key rate. It is possible that by the end of the year it will increase to 14-15 percent.