Riksbank deputy sees likelihood of
Photo: Magnus Lejhall/TT

Riksbank deputy sees likelihood of interest rate hike this year

Deputy Governor Göran Hjelm, one of five members of the Swedish Central Bank’s Executive Board, sees "a likelihood of an interest rate increase during the year," according to a press release from the Swedish Central Bank.

"We have a 'time of trials' ahead of us when it comes to monetary policy. We must test ourselves and carefully analyze what effect the current policy rate and interest rate path fundamentally have on economic development," he said in a speech at Handelsbanken.

He describes the policy rate of 1.75 percent as “somewhat expansionary” and sees an opportunity to continue stimulating the economy without causing excessively high inflation. However, the course of the Iran war plays a decisive role, according to Hjelm:

"The risk of an escalation of the war, with sharp price increases as a result, justifies the likelihood of an interest rate increase during the year."

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers

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