The Bank of Japan raised interest rates on Friday to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stable around its 2% target.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has raised its key short-term interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%, marking the highest level since 2008.

Tokyo, Jan 24 (AP) The Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate to about 0.5% from 0.25% Friday, noting that inflation is holding at a desirable target level. The decision by the central bank came at the end of a two-day policy board meeting in Tokyo.

Japan’s central bank has hiked interest rates as expected to a 17-year high as it continues on a path to normalise its monetary policy. On Friday (Jan 24), the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised short-term rates by 25 basis points to 0.5 per cent, its highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis.

The Bank of Japan has raised short-term interest rates by a quarter point, the highest in 17 years, signalling efforts to normalise monetary policy in response to persistent inflation and increasing wages.

The move comes hours after the latest economic data showed prices rose last month at the fastest pace in 16 months.

The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates to 0.5%, the highest level since October 2008, and pledged to raise rates further if the economy and inflation continue in line with projections. The bank’s pledge to seek more rate hikes sent Japanese government bond yields higher and boosted the yen.

Top News Bank of Japan Resumes Hiking Rates as Economy Strengthens The Bank of Japan raised its target for the overnight call rate to 0.5% from 0.25%, making its third rate hike since ending its long-running negative interest-rate policy in March. The bank previously raised the policy rate to 0.25% in July and had kept it at that level since.

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The Bank of Japan has raised its interest rates by 25 basis points, signifying the end of an era of historically low interest rates.

The pace of interest rate cuts has been the focus for much of the world, but in Japan, things are going in the opposite direction. The BOJ just hiked its key policy rate to its highest level in 17 years,