Monetary policy review: Bank rate lowered by one percentage point

KATHMANDU: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has reduced the bank rate by one percentage point. The central bank made this decrement through the third quarterly review of the monetary policy for fiscal year 2022/23. The central bank has retained the policy rate but has reduced the existing bank rate by one percentage point to 7.5%. The rest of the rates under the interest rate corridor remain as they are, NRB said. According to NRB, some monetary provisions have been eased through the third quarter review of the monetary policy. It is stated that the future course of action of the monetary policy has been cautiously made somewhat flexible to support invigorating domestic economic activities by maintaining overall economic stability on the basis of the present situation and the possible scenario of inflation and foreign exchange reserves. The inter-bank interest rate has decreased by 1.5 percentage points as NRB has made provision for providing the daily liquidity facility which it has been making available at 8.5% bank rate at present at the policy-wise rate of 7% from the half-yearly review. The provision of providing the daily liquidity facility at the policy rate has been continued from the third quarterly review of the monetary policy. NRB has given continuity till January 14, 2024, the existing arrangement allowing counting of the bonds issued by banks and financial institutions (BFIs) to be calculated for the purpose of credit-deposit (CD) ratio as source deposit. The central bank has also made some new provisions in connection with the refinancing through the monetary policy assessment. The refinance will be provided to the sectors whose growth rate is in the negative over the last six months. Likewise, a provision has been brought by which the loan issued to hotels and restaurants, livestock farming, loan related to the construction sector and loans of up to Rs 50 million issued to other sectors will be restructured and re-tabulated within July 16, 2023. READ ALSO:

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