Central Bank Interest Rates

Central banks conduct their monetary policy by controlling some overnight or short term interest rates. Central banks use these rates to lend money to commercial banks influencing mortgage rates and other types of loans. Central bank interest rates are one of the most effective tools to promote growth and keep inflation under certain limits. For instance, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank aims at keeping annual inflation under 2% while the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve has a dual mandate of promoting sustainable growth and maintaining price stability. Stocks and bond markets are also influenced by these benchmark rates because high interest rates reduce the present value of future cash flows, thereby reducing the attractiveness of investment opportunities.

Country	Central Bank Rate	3 Month LIBOR	1 Year LIBOR	2 Year LIBOR	10 Year Yield
United States	0.25%	1.50%	2.09%	1.52%	2.43%
Euro Area	2.50%	3.08%	3.25%	2.85%	3.87%
Japan	0.10%	0.90%	1.10%	0.78%	1.27%
United Kingdom	2.00%	2.98%	3.25%	2.83%	3.66%
Canada	1.50%	2.30%	2.64%	1.28%	2.64%
Australia	4.25%	4.84%	4.76%	3.72%	4.47%
New Zealand	5.00%	5.84%	5.78%	4.60%	5.27%
Switzerland	0.50%	0.74%	1.17%	1.12%	2.53%
China	5.31%	5.58%	5.58%	5.67%	6.12%
Brazil	13.75%	14.17%	8.88%	12.71%	14.88%
India	5.50%	4.75%	4.63%	4.57%	4.98%
Russia	13.00%	22.00%	27.45%	29.46%	8.02%

Interest Rate News

India Cuts Rates
Published: 1/2/2009 8:33:07 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

India cut interest rates for the fourth time since October and unveiled another stimulus package to counter the effect of the global recession on Asia's third- largest economy.

China Cuts Key Rates
Published: 12/22/2008 5:12:13 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

China cut interest rates for the fifth time in three months to support the world’s fourth-biggest economy after trade growth collapsed because of recessions in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Bank of Japan Cuts Rate to 0.1%
Published: 12/19/2008 5:18:37 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

The Bank of Japan cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.1 percent, increased purchases of government debt and announced plans to buy commercial paper for the first time as the deepening recession starves companies of funds.

Fed Sets Funds Target Range of 0 to 0.25 percent
Published: 12/16/2008 11:25:03 AM By: TradingEconomics.com

The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to establish a target range for the federal funds rate of 0 to 1/4 percent.

Swiss Central Bank Cuts Rate to 0.5%
Published: 12/11/2008 7:12:48 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

The Swiss central bank cut its interest rate to a four-year low of 0.5 percent and said further measures are possible as the economy faces a recession that may be the worst since 1982.

Bank of Canada Cuts Rate to 1.5%
Published: 12/9/2008 6:53:57 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

The Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark interest rate by more than anticipated to a half- century low and signaled more action may be needed as economic growth sputters amid a “broader and deeper” global slump.

India Cuts Interest Rates
Published: 12/8/2008 5:20:42 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg.com

India’s central bank cut interest rates for the third time in less than two months after last week’s terror attacks shook investor confidence in an economy already weakened by a global recession.

Bank of England Cuts Rates to 2%
Published: 12/4/2008 5:28:51 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Financial Times

Signs that the economic downturn is gathering pace prompted the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee to cut interest rates on Thursday by a full percentage point to 2 per cent, the lowest level for more nearly four decades.

ECB Slashes Rates to 2.5%
Published: 12/4/2008 5:24:05 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Financial Times

The European Central Bank took a more aggressive stance on interest rate cuts, slashing its main policy rate by an unprecedented three-quarters of a percentage point as official borrowing costs tumbled across Europe.

New Zealand Cuts Rate to 5%
Published: 12/3/2008 12:15:16 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bloomberg

New Zealand’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by a record 1.5 percentage points to 5 percent to kick-start an economy facing its worst recession in 18 years.