Looking ahead, analysts polled by Reuters forecast the central bank will cut the key lending rate next Thursday, the sixth cut in a row.

Looking ahead, analysts polled by Reuters forecast the central bank will cut the key lending rate next Thursday, the sixth cut in a row. Lower-than-expected inflation and a slowing economy will prompt the National Bank of Ukraine to cut from the current level of 11%, although not as steep as the 2.5 percentage point cut of late January. At next week’s rate setting meeting, nine out of 16 analysts forecast a rate cut to 10%. Three see a reduction to 10.5%. One person sees a cut to 9.5%. The other three see no change.