MOSCOW, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia's largest bank Sberbank expects the country's monetary policy to ease in 2026 and forecasts the key interest rate to drop to around 12 percent by the end of next year, Sberbank CEO German Gref said Wednesday.
Gref said the bank anticipates "moderate economic growth of around 1 percent in 2026," alongside a gradual reduction in inflationary pressure.
The outlook comes as Russia has reported a steady slowdown in consumer price inflation in recent months, with the inflation rate expected to drop to about 6 percent by the end of 2025.
In October, Russia's central bank cut its key interest rate by 50 basis points to 16.5 percent annually at its latest meeting.
Gref said the estimated decline in inflation toward the central bank's target would create conditions for further rate cuts next year. ■