BoB interest rate hikes: Who gains and who loses?

Tough times: Interest rate hikes make loan repayments costlier PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Tough times: Interest rate hikes make loan repayments costlier PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

After raising the interest rate for the first time in 14 years on 28 April 2022, the Bank of Botswana (BoB), raised the interest rate again for the second time this year on 16 June.

In April, the BoB increased the newly introduced Monetary Policy Rate (MoPR) by 51 basis points (0.51%) from 1.14% to 1.65%.

The latest increase is 50 basis points (0.5%) and takes the MoPR to 2.15%. The MoPR is the rate at which BoB lends money to commercial banks. It affects the prime lending rate which is the rate at which commercial banks charge consumers for borrowing money. The prime lending rate is higher than the MoPR to enable banks to cover their basic profit margin.

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up