LIMA, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Peru's central bank said on Thursday it held its benchmark interest rate steady at a record low of 1.25 percent, pausing for the fifth month after seven straight cuts.
The bank, taking advantage of low inflation, trimmed interest rates by a total of 5.25 percentage points last year in a bid to boost growth during a global downturn.
All eight of eight economists polled by Reuters had expected the bank to hold the rate at 1.25 percent.
(Reporting by Patricia Velez and Dana Ford; Editing by Leslie Adler) Keywords: PERU ECONOMY/RATES (dana.ford@thomsonreuters.com; +54 11 4318 0663; Reuters Messaging: dana.ford.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The bank, taking advantage of low inflation, trimmed interest rates by a total of 5.25 percentage points last year in a bid to boost growth during a global downturn.
All eight of eight economists polled by Reuters had expected the bank to hold the rate at 1.25 percent.
(Reporting by Patricia Velez and Dana Ford; Editing by Leslie Adler) Keywords: PERU ECONOMY/RATES (dana.ford@thomsonreuters.com; +54 11 4318 0663; Reuters Messaging: dana.ford.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.