Albania’s central bank considers key rate hike after a decade of easy policy

By Ervin Lisaku TIRANA, Dec. 25 – Albania’s central bank says it could consider a hike in the key rate by mid-2019, putting an end to nearly a decade of easy monetary policy in the aftermath of the 2008-09 global financial crisis as it tried to stimulate economic growth through lower interest rates despite its effectiveness being hampered by the country’s high levels of euroisation. The confirmation came this week by central bank governor Gent Sejko as a two-month deadlock in the Bank of Albania decision-making was unblocked after six new members of the supervisory council were recently voted for…