Indonesia hikes rates for second straight month to stem inflation

JAKARTA, Sept 22 (AFP): Indonesia's central bank hiked its key interest rate for the second month in a row Thursday to combat rising inflation stoked by fuel prices and the war in Ukraine.

Bank Indonesia pushed the policy rate to 4.25 from 3.75 per cent, and the jump was higher than expected by analysts.

Its two other main rates were also raised by 50 basis points.

The central bank hiked interest rates in August for the first time since 2018 to defend against accelerating inflation, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine driving up global energy and food prices and pushing millions into poverty.