Thailand central bank to hold rates in Sept after seven straight hikes – Reuters poll

Thailand's central bank will leave its key policy rate unchanged at 2.25% on Wednesday and likely through 2024, marking an end to a year-long tightening cycle, according to a Reuters poll, though a few economists still expect one final hike. Despite inflation in Thailand edging up slightly to 0.88% in August, it remained below the central bank's 1-3% target range for a fourth consecutive month, suggesting little need for the Bank of Thailand (BOT) to continue hiking. Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput recently said both economic growth and inflation were expected to be lower than previously forecast due to softer tourism spending and a weak economic outlook for China, the country's major trading partner.