Bank of Mexico Holds Rates, Betting Inflation Will Soon Peak

The Bank of Mexico stood pat on interest rates Thursday, as widely expected, betting that a recent surge in consumer prices is close to a peak.

Mexico's central bank left its overnight interest-rate target unchanged at 7% after seven consecutive rate increases that put borrowing costs at their highest level since early 2009. The decision was unanimous among voting members.

Inflation hit a more than eight-year high in July at 6.44%, well above the central bank's 3% target, as a result of a big increase in gasoline prices earlier this year and a recent pickup in agricultural prices.

But in its policy statement, the central bank said inflation "seems to be nearing to a peak." The bank expects inflation to start slowing down late this year and approach the target by the end of 2018.

Write to Juan Montes at juan.montes@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 10, 2017 14:46 ET (18:46 GMT)