HKMA Follows Fed, Holds Rate at 0.50%

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority held its base rate unchanged at 0.50% following the decision of the US Federal Reserve to leave the fed funds rate unchanged at 0-0.25% until late 2014. The HKMA also previously held its base interest rate unchanged at 0.50%, after the FOMC met in January.  The Hong Kong Monetary Authority generally tends to follow the monetary policy decisions of the US Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee as the Hong Kong Dollar is fixed against the United States Dollar. 

Hong Kong reported consumer price inflation of 5.7% in December, 5.8% in October and September, compared to 5.7% in August, 7.9% in July, 5.6% in June, 5.2% in May and 4.6% in April this year.  Hong Kong's economy expanded 0.1% in Q3 this year, (-0.4% in Q2, 2.8% in Q1), placing year on year GDP growth at 4.3% (5% in Q2, 7.5% in Q1).

The Hong Kong dollar is fixed against the U.S. currency at an exchange rate of between HK$7.75 and HK$7.85 per dollar; the USDHKD exchange rate last traded at 7.762.  The Hang Seng is down -8.6% over the past year, and last traded around 21,315.

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