Costa Rica: Central Bank leaves rates unchanged in December
Central Bank pauses monetary easing cycle: At its meeting on 19 December, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) decided to maintain the policy rate at 4.00%. The decision followed October’s 25 basis point cut.
Sturdy economy and greater uncertainty drive the hold: The Bank highlighted that the economy is growing at a faster-than-anticipated pace and added that labor market metrics continue to improve, approaching pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, the Bank said that uncertainty regarding the domestic and international economic and inflation outlooks has risen, calling for a pause in the monetary policy easing cycle.
Central Bank grows more hawkish: The BCCR’s guidance became more hawkish, as the Bank no longer stated that it sees space to continue reducing its policy rate. Instead, it emphasized a cautious approach to future adjustments based on macroeconomic conditions and risk assessments. Our Consensus is for the Bank to reduce its policy rate slightly by the end of 2025, though our panel is highly divided: While around half of our panelists have penciled in cuts, most of the rest expect the Bank to hold throughout the year.