Russian Central Bank leaves rates on hold as economic growth ebbs

MOSCOW: The Russian Central Bank left its key interest rates on hold at a regular meeting on Friday, signalling it is more worried about the sanctions-hit economy than high inflation which remains above the bank's target.

The decision keeps the bank's central policy rate, the one-week minimum auction repo rate, at 8 percent, and was broadly expected.

Several waves of sanctions against Moscow for its policy on Ukraine have brought the Russian economy to a near standstill, weakening the rouble and causing a spike in inflation.