Overheating may tighten Central Europe monetary policy
Significance The meetings are expected to provide forward guidance on monetary policy. With consumer prices reaching a five-and-a-half year high in Hungary and a seven-month high in the Czech Republic, attention has turned to the future trajectory of Central European (CE) interest rates. Tightening would run against the populist streak of governments in both Prague and Budapest. Impacts Rate hikes in the Czech Republic and eventually also in Hungary by mid-2019 may contribute to a broad-based slowdown in growth next year. Tighter rates may moderate the headline inflation rate in January-June 2019, partly offsetting the negative impact of economic overheating. CE currencies may gradually strengthen, helping to shield against excessive capital outflows, as global liquidity conditions tighten. Some monetary policy divergence is likely within CE, as Poland’s central bank is unlikely to push for higher interest rates before end-2019.