US Fed keeps interest rates steady near 0 percent

October 8th, 2009 ECB leaves rates unchangedFRANKFURT — The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 1 percent on Thursday. Analysts had widely expected the bank to hold rates steady at its meeting in Venice.

September 30th, 2009 Interest rates mixed at Treasury auctionWASHINGTON — Interest rates on six-month Treasury bills remained at a record low in Monday's auction, while rates on three-month bills rose. The Treasury Department on Monday auctioned $29 billion in six-month bills at a discount rate of 0.190 percent, the same as last week.

August 22nd, 2009 Academic: Fed rate boosts should be aggressiveJACKSON, Wyo. — When time comes for the Federal Reserve and other central banks to ward off inflation by boosting interest rates from the current super-low levels, they shouldn't pussyfoot around, an economist and expert on monetary policy warned Saturday.

July 28th, 2009 Interest rates mixed at weekly Treasury auctionWASHINGTON — Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills were mixed in Monday's auction with three-month bills dropping to the lowest level in six weeks. The Treasury Department auctioned $31 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.18 percent, down from 0.19 percent last week.

July 20th, 2009 Rates on short-term Treasury bills rise at auctionWASHINGTON — Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in Monday's auction to the highest levels in three weeks. The Treasury Department auctioned $32 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.190 percent, up from 0.180 percent last week.

July 15th, 2009 Japan's central bank keeps rates steadyTOKYO — Japan's central bank has kept its benchmark interest rate steady amid signs that the economy has ended its slide. The Bank of Japan's eight-member policy board voted unanimously to leave its overnight call rate target unchanged at 0.1 percent, as widely expected by the market.

June 24th, 2009 KOLKATA - State-run Allahabad Bank is unlikely to cut either interest rates or deposit rates soon, a top bank official said here Wednesday. There is a demand that interest rates should be made affordable but there are other factors that need to be taken into account, the bank's chairman and managing director K.R.

May 13th, 2009 MUMBAI - State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, slashed deposit rates by 50 basis points on various maturities Wednesday. The new interest rate will be effective from May 18, the bank said in a regulatory statement.

May 9th, 2009 Iceland cuts interest rates to 13 percentLONDON — Iceland's central bank has cut official interest rates by 2.5 percentage points to 13 percent to help the country's troubled economy. It is the third cut in rates this year by the central bank, called Sedlabanki.

May 8th, 2009 KOLKATA - State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lender, may review rates by May-end as it has seen a steady rise in deposits last fiscal, a top official said here Friday. 'Our deposits are growing at fantastic rates; we see an excess of supply over demand,' SBI chairman O.P.

May 2nd, 2009 MUMBAI - The country's largest lender State Bank of India Saturday said it has cut deposit rates by 25 basis points (bps) effective from Monday. The new interest rate, for a deposit of 15-45 days, will be 3.75 percent, while deposits up to 10 years will fetch interest of 8.25 percent, SBI said in a statement.

March 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) feels it would be difficult to lower lending rates any further if the government did not slash interest rates on existing deposits. 'The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is not reducing interest on savings bank deposits.

March 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Public sector lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) has lowered interest rates for car loans by 50 basis points, effective from Sunday. 'The interest rate on car loan would come down from 11-11.5 percent to 10.5-11 percent, with effect from March 1,' PNB said in a statement Saturday.

December 30th, 2008 MUMBAI - Two more lending institutions - ICICI Bank and LIC Housing - Wednesday cut their interest rates on home loans by up to 75 basis points (bps). While LIC Housing Finance cut rates for existing home loan borrowers by 75 bps effective Thursday, ICICI cut rates by 50 bps with immediate effect.

December 28th, 2008 NEW DELHI - Punjab National Bank (PNB) Monday reduced its benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR) by 50 basis points from 12.5 percent annually to 12 percent from Jan 1. Bank of Baroda too reduced its BPLR by 75 basis points from existing 13.25 percent to 12.5 percent, also from Jan 1.