Shilling firm vs dollar after central bank holds key interest rate

NAIROBI: The Kenyan shilling firmed nearly 1 percent against the dollar on Wednesday a day after the central bank maintained its benchmark lending rate at 18 percent for the sixth straight month.

Policymakers left the benchmark interest rate unchanged, saying potential risks to inflation and the stability of the shilling remained.

At 0911 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 85.10/30 per dollar, 0.8 firmer than Tuesday's close of 85.80/86.00.