Aksakov expects key rate to drop to 9% by the end of 2026

© ТГ-канал Анатолия Аксакова

By the end of 2026, inflation in Russia will approach the target level of 4–5%, and the key interest rate will drop to 9%. This forecast was announced by Anatoly Aksakov, the head of the State Duma Committee on Financial Markets and Chairman of the Board of the Association of Russian Banks, in an interview with TASS.

According to Aksakov, at the first meeting of the year (in February), the Board of Directors of the Central Bank may again decide to lower the key interest rate. This will be possible if the current trend of inflation decline continues and inflation expectations among the population "subside." Further, during the year, under favorable conditions, the reduction of the key interest rate will continue.

- In my forecast, if the Central Bank and the government maintain the policy they are currently implementing, related to money supply in the market and such strict regulation of this process, then the key interest rate will fall below 10%, to 9% by the end of next year, quite possibly, and inflation will be close to the target level — 4–5%, he noted.