MNI BRIEF: Riksbank Cuts 25bps; Foresees One More Cut H1 2025
MNI (LONDON) - The Riksbank cut the policy rate by 25 basis points to 2.5% at its December meeting and said that if the economic outlook remained unchanged it may cut again during the first half of 2025.
The Riksbank Executive Board's guidance, leaving the timing of the H1 cut open, was unchanged and analysts had fully anticipated the 25 basis point cut. The Swedish central bank highlighted its concerns over the weakness of the economic recovery with inflation having stabiliised around target.
Having cut rapidly in recent months the Riksbank board said that it would adopt "a more tentative approach when monetary policy is formulated going forward." (SEE MNI RIKSBANK WATCH: Riksbank Seen Cutting 25BP )
The forecasts showed the policy rate at 2.3% in 2025, 2026 and 2027. As 2.25% is the mid-point of its new range for the Riksbank's estimate of the neutral rate, these projections do not show it planning to go below neutral and into accommodative territory.