Market stability has remained in place in all major submarkets (FX, bonds & swaps). Although the forint has been weakening in recent days, the exchange rate against the euro has not hit a critical level that could prompt the central bank to back down. Nor do we see any grey clouds hovering over global financial markets that could darken the future. This is certainly a significant help, as it continues to mean a constructive investment environment overall. In addition, the major central banks (Federal Reserve, European Central Bank) have not surprised markets in any meaningful way, which would be drastically countered by the easing of the Hungarian central bank.

Hungarian yield curve

We don't expect any substantive change in the tone of the press release and the expected press conference. The National Bank of Hungary will continue to define the series of interest rate cuts as a function of market stability and remain committed to the principles of gradualism and prudence. Obviously, the central bank will underscore the acceleration of disinflation as a significant factor, but we think that the Monetary Council will still not want to make any substantive comment on a possible cut in the base rate soon. In other words, the sound distinction between market stability and price stability will remain. The forward guidance is, therefore, unlikely to change in light of this.

ING's inflation and base rate forecasts for Hungary

Looking further down the road

If the supportive environment remains and market stability is maintained, the NBH is going to continue its series of gradual interest rate cuts of 100bps. Accordingly, the base rate and the effective rate should merge at 13% at the September rate decision, in our base case. As to whether the rate cuts will resume immediately from here or whether there will be a pause, we will only be able to say with a high degree of certainty once we have seen market conditions and the inflation situation in the autumn. At the moment, we would give a higher probability to a pause of one or two months after September. When we see that inflation has fallen to single-digit levels (which could happen as early as November, so the NBH can make a decision in December with this in mind), then the base rate cut will start.