April 30, 20251 yr From Reuters Thailand's central bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter point for a second consecutive meeting on Wednesday, as expected, seeking to support the underperforming economy which is facing fresh pressure from steep U.S. tariffs. The Bank of Thailand's monetary policy committee voted 5-2 to reduce the one-day repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%, the lowest level in two years. That followed a similar reduction at the previous meeting in February. The central bank cut its growth forecast for 2025 to 2.0%, based on prolonged trade negotiations and U.S. tariffs remaining close to current rates, from just above 2.5% seen in February and 2.9% predicted in December. It said there were risks to growth and U.S. tariffs could weigh more heavily in the second half of the year, and if the trade war escalates and tariffs are set at higher rates then growth could be just 1.3% this year. Thailand is among Southeast Asian nations hardest hit by U.S. President Donald Trump's measures, facing a much larger-than-expected 36% tariff if a reduction can't be negotiated before a U.S. moratorium expires in July. Continues at https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-central-bank-cuts-key-rate-by-25-bps-2025-04-30/ , opens new t
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