KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): As expected, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3% today at its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the year. The central bank had reduced the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 3% on July 13, 2016. The MPC will continue to assess the balance of risks surrounding the outlook for domestic growth and inflation," it added. On the global front, BNM said the global economy is projected to expand at a slightly faster pace this year. "Nevertheless, heightened uncertainty and downside risks to global growth remain, arising from risks of protectionism, geopolitical developments and commodity price volatility.

Source: The Edge Markets January 19, 2017 07:09 UTC