Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
South Korea Signals Possible Interest Rate Hike as Inflation Remains Elevated 
Taiwan Central Bank Likely to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged Through 2027 
BOJ Raises Interest Rates to 31-Year High, Signals Strong Focus on Inflation Risks 
BOJ Raises Interest Rates to 1% as Inflation Pressures Persist 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
J.P. Morgan Sees Major Upside for Prysmian as Optical Fiber Prices Surge 
New Zealand Unemployment and Inflation Debate Intensifies Ahead of 2026 Election 
Indonesia Plans Higher Asset Yields to Boost Rupiah and Restore Investor Confidence 
ECB Set to Raise Interest Rates as Energy Shock Fuels Eurozone Inflation Concerns 
Goldman Sachs Sees U.S. Dollar Holding Firm as Strong Economic Data Supports Outlook 
BoE Policymaker Alan Taylor Signals No Need for Interest Rate Hike Amid Iran War Inflation Risks 
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand chose to keep the Official Cash Rate at 2.25% after its Monetary Policy Review on April 8, 2026. The decision, unanimous among the governors, reflects a careful weighing of a fragile domestic recovery against sudden inflation pressures stemming from the recent US-Iran maritime tensions. Governor Anna Breman described the approach as one of vigilance without knee-jerk reactions, aiming to support the economy through the immediate global oil price volatility while monitoring the risk of more persistent inflation.
Though the rate held steady, the RBNZ's forward guidance turned noticeably more hawkish, suggesting that the period of stable interest rates may be ending. Short-term inflation forecasts were revised upward, now expecting 4.2% year-on-year by June 2026—a clear increase from earlier estimates. As a result, the bank brought forward its projected timing for rate rises to September 2026. Breman also cautioned that if the inflationary effects from soaring energy prices become entrenched, rate hikes could come sooner—in May or July.
Analysts and investors, some of whom anticipated a hike in April, saw the decision as a measured response to the tangled geopolitical backdrop. The RBNZ appears to be looking through the initial surge in oil costs linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, yet the balance of risk leans toward further tightening. With an Islamabad summit scheduled for April 10, the bank’s future moves will hinge on global energy developments. Should the ceasefire, expected to last 14 days, fail, the RBNZ might have to act sooner than currently planned.
