Ungarn Zinssatz

Hungary’s central bank held its base rate at 6.5% in January 2025, unchanged for the fourth consecutive meeting, in line with market expectations, to anchor inflation expectations. Rates for collateralized loans and overnight deposits also remained unchanged at 7.5% and 5.5%, respectively. Policymakers hinted that the main rate could stay at 6.5% for an extended period, citing the increased risk of higher inflation in 2025 due to the weak forint, tax hikes, and rising fuel and food prices, which may push inflation above last year's 3.7% rate. The annual inflation rate in Hungary climbed for the third month to 4.6% in December 2024, the steepest since December 2023, above market expectations of 4.4%. The central bank targets 3% inflation in the medium term, with a 1 percentage point tolerance band around it.