Colombia's central bank held the benchmark interest rate at 9.50% on Friday, surprising the market, which expected policymakers to vote for a second consecutive 25 basis point cut. The decision was backed by five members of the seven-member board.

Board members of Colombia's central bank are expected to opt for a smaller rate cut when they meet on Friday on uncertainty around inflation, the nation's fiscal situation and policy moves by the U.S.

The Federal Reserve will almost certainly begin 2025 by keeping interest rates on hold at between 4.25 to 4.5 per cent.

The Reserve Bank of India's $5 billion dollar/rupee buy-sell swap auction on Friday is likely to see strong demand from lenders and corporate treasuries, six bankers said.

Central bank policymakers are widely expected to stand pat on interest rates. Investors await further details from Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference.

The European Central Bank is cutting its key interest rate, a step to boost an economy that’s struggling to grow as consumers burned by inflation warily eye price tags and businesses try to chart a course amid political turmoil in leading economies France and Germany.

For example, central bank independence seems to go hand-in-hand with lower inflation when the rule of law is strong. But, in the absence of rule of law, the relationship breaks down. Perhaps well-governed countries tend to produce well-run central banks, regardless of de jure independence.

The Czech National Bank will consider holding billions of dollars worth of bitcoin in its reserves, Governor Ales Michl said on Wednesday, potentially the first shift into the cryptocurrency by a western central bank if it went ahead.

The European Central Bank is widely expected to cut interest rates for the fifth time since it began easing monetary policy.

In late December, Maysaa Sabreen was appointed caretaker governor of the Central Bank of Syria. Sabreen stepped up from deputy governor after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) toppled President Bashar al-Assad, making her the first woman to hold the position.

The head of the Czech National Bank wants to plough billions of euros’ worth of the country’s reserves into bitcoin, a groundbreaking move that could make it the first western central bank known to hold crypto assets.

The head of the Czech central bank is about to propose that the institution add Bitcoin to the country's reserves.