Beijing / Bloomberg The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) gauged demand for medium-term loans on Wednesday at an interest rate lower than it’s offered in the past, Reuters reported, citing people it didn’t identify. The monetary authority lowered the cost of the three- and six-month, and one-year Medium-term Lending Facility by 25 basis points to 2.5 percent, 2.6 percent and ...

BLOOMBERG Israel is experiencing one of the world’s longest streaks of negative inflation. Yet unlike central banks in Europe or Japan, which have lowered interest rates below zero to combat deflation, the Bank of Israel isn’t as worried about the trend. While these other banks fret about growth, Israeli central bankers say the local economy is healthy and the drop ...

VIENNA / Bloomberg Raiffeisen Bank International AG can afford to keep its Polish unit rather than sell it at a fire-sale price because the Austrian lender is already “within striking distance” of its target to boost capital ratios, according to its chief executive officer. Eastern Europe’s second-biggest lender still wants to dispose of the business but may not succeed in ...