ZURICH, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The Swiss National Bank held its policy interest rate unchanged at 1.75% on Thursday as the central bank paused its campaign against inflation which has recently ebbed lower in Switzerland.
The SNB kept its policy rate and the rate it charges on sight deposits at the same level it set in June, marking the first time the central bank has not hiked rates since March 2022.
The pause ran counter to forecasts in a Reuters poll which had predicted a 25 basis point increase, though money market pricing suggested it was seen as a close call. The freeze comes after Swiss inflation came in at 1.6% in August, the same level as in July - within the SNB's goal for price rises of 0-2%. (Reporting by John Revill Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
