Dollar Surges as Inflation Data Fuels Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Wall Street Futures Rise Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit as Tech Stocks Lead Market Rally 
Paraguay Holds Interest Rate at 5.5% as Inflation Remains Stable Amid Global Uncertainty 
South Korea Central Bank Signals Inflation Concerns as Oil Prices Surge 
Trump, Xi Begin High-Stakes China Summit Focused on Trade, Taiwan and Global Tensions 
ASX Names Former Euronext Executive Anthony Attia as New CEO 
OECD Sees Bank of Japan Raising Interest Rates to 2% by 2027 
US, Japan Reaffirm Strong Currency Coordination Amid Yen Volatility 
Trump and Xi Temple of Heaven Visit Highlights Trade and Diplomacy Goals 
Japan Inflation Expectations Rise as BOJ Rate Hike Timing Faces Uncertainty 
Havana Protests Erupt as Cuba Faces Severe Blackouts and Fuel Crisis 
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is expected to remain on hold through 2017. As widely expected, the central bank left rates unchanged at 1.5 percent for the 13th straight meeting Wednesday. The economy faces increasing downside risks to its growth and inflation outlook.
The global backdrop is highly uncertain, tourism has softened since the passing of the late King and a crackdown on under-priced tour packages from China and investor sentiment remains weak amid uncertainties surrounding the timeline for a return to civilian rule.
However, Thailand is by no means in a dire position with 2017 GDP still seen at a respectable 3.2 percent, the same pace as this year and 2017 inflation seen returning to its target 1–4 percent band from 0.2 percent this year.
As such, the BoT is in no urgent need to cut rates, and the onus remains on ongoing fiscal spending to support growth.
"Our base case is for BoT to maintain status quo throughout 2017. However, we do not necessarily rule out a 25bps cut in the event of adverse shocks," Commerzbank commented in its latest research report.
