Amman:The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has decided to maintain its benchmark interest rates across all monetary policy instruments, following its seventh policy meeting of 2026. This decision was taken by the Open Market Operations Committee on Thursday, in a move that reflects an overarching evaluation of economic indicators at local, regional, and international levels.
According to Jordan News Agency, the CBJ's choice to hold rates steady aligns with its core objectives of ensuring monetary stability, defending the currency peg, and maintaining the yield differential for Dinar-denominated assets. The bank's analysis of monetary and financial indicators illustrates continued economic robustness, supported by gross foreign exchange reserves of $28.5 billion as of the end of the third quarter of 2026. These reserves provide a significant buffer, covering more than nine months of imports.
Headline inflation has remained stable, averaging 2.26 percent year-to-date through September, while the banking sector displays strong capitalization and liquidity, fostering private-sector credit expansion. The real economy has also shown strength, with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing by 3.0 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, surpassing initial forecasts.
The CBJ highlighted the positive external economic indicators, noting a 4.9 percent increase in tourism receipts, reaching $6.4 billion year-to-date through the third quarter. Additionally, worker remittances surged by 14.5 percent through August, totaling $3.4 billion, and merchandise exports grew by 11.2 percent to $10.5 billion over the same period. These figures emphasize the resilience of Jordan's economy and its non-inflationary growth trajectory, even amidst external economic challenges.
The Central Bank reiterated its dedication to monitoring domestic and global monetary conditions and expressed readiness to implement counter-cyclical or prudential measures to safeguard financial system stability and support economic performance.