(March 19): Taiwan left its key policy rate unchanged for the eighth straight quarter — the longest run since 2019 — giving it room to monitor the economic impact of the Iran War. The central bank left the benchmark rate unchanged at 2%, according to a statement released after its quarterly meeting on Thursday. Underscoring optimism the economy will remain strong, the central bank raised its forecast for growth this year to 7.28%, up from 3.67%. Highlighting the cautious approach the CBC is taking, the median estimate of the economists surveyed by Bloomberg is for the central bank to hold its policy rate until the end of next year. Taiwan’s central bank also lifted its prediction for the consumer price index this year to 1.8%, up from the previous 1.63% and compared to its 2% alert level.

Source: The Edge Markets March 19, 2026 09:23 UTC