By Karin Strohecker and Sumanta Sen LONDON (Reuters) -Emerging market central banks implemented their largest rate-cutting push in years in July, while their developed market counterparts held steady as uncertainty over U.S. trade and tariff policies reverberated across global economies. Seven central banks from a Reuters sample of 18 developing economies delivered 625 basis points (bps) of cuts - the highest monthly cut since at least 2022 - in July, data showed. The moves were driven by policy makers in Turkey returning to easing with a 300-bp cut and Russia's central bank pegging the benchmark 200 bps lower. Central banks in Indonesia, South Africa, Malaysia, Poland and Chile all reduced rates by 25 bps each in July, while another six opted for no change. Across developing economies, idiosyncratic stories were dominating, said Roger Mark, analyst in the fixed income team at Ninety One. "We've got South Africa targeting a new inflation target. We've got Turkey, where the focus is all about trying to keep the lira stable," said Mark. "It does vary a lot by country and we're seeing divergence in inflation, and divergence to an extent in the sensitivity to what's happening in the U.S. and the ECB," he said, adding for developed economies' central banks it was more a degree of "wait and see." Meanwhile, the picture looked less dynamic in developed economies, with policy makers warning of uncertainty ahead and growth and inflation trajectories in flux. All six of the central banks overseeing the 10 most heavily traded currencies that held meetings in July kept rates on hold - namely Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the ECB, Canada and the United States Federal Reserve. Sweden, Switzerland, Norway and the Bank of England did not hold rate-setting meetings last month. Policy makers were sifting through the impact from the U.S. trade policy with a raft of deadlines and announcements having come out in recent days and more deadlines ahead. While August tends to be quiet on the monetary policy front, September is expected to bring more moves from major central banks, such as the Fed. "The developed market monetary-easing cycle hasn’t been entirely synchronised, and there are some central banks that have fallen behind," said Dario Perkins at TS Lombard. "Current market pricing suggests these central banks (the Fed, the BoE etc.) will catch up in 2026." The year-to-date tally across G10 central banks on rate cuts is 500 bps across 19 moves, while on hikes there was just one 25 bps move by the Bank of Japan. Across emerging economies, year-to-date rate cuts stood at 1,910 bps across 32 moves while rate rises tallied up to 625 bps through four hikes in Brazil and one in Turkey. (Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Sumanta Sen, editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
EM central banks plough on with easing in July as major peers linger
You are reading a free article with opinions that may differ from the recommendation given by Kalkine in its paid research reports. Become a Kalkine member today to get access to our research reports, in-depth technical and fundamental research.
Start Your Free Trial Now!Not sure where to invest today?
Kalkine’s latest research highlights three companies identified through in-depth analysis and market insights.
Explore these research reports to learn about companies currently being tracked by our analysts and make more informed investment decisions.
View 3 Research ReportsThis information, including any data, is sourced from Unicorn Data Services SAS, trading as EOD Historical Data (“EODHD”) on ‘as is’ basis, using their API. The information and data provided on this page, as well as via the API, are not guaranteed to be real-time or accurate. In some cases, the data may include analyst ratings or recommendations sourced through the EODHD API, which are intended solely for general informational purposes.
This information does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. Kalkine does not assume any responsibility for any trading losses you might incur as a result of using this information, data, or any analyst rating or recommendation provided. Kalkine will not accept any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on the information, including but not limited to data, quotes, charts, analyst ratings, recommendations, and buy/sell signals sourced via the API.
Please be fully informed about the risks and costs associated with trading in the financial markets, as it is one of the riskiest forms of investment. Kalkine does not provide any warranties regarding the information on this page, including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use.
Please wait processing your request...