The central bank also kept minimum reserve requirement ratios unchanged, at 12% for foreign currency liabilities and 8% for local currency deposits.
In line with expectations, inflation remained in negative territory in the first quarter, dropping to -3% in March from -0.93% in December 2015, an effect of lowering the standard value-added tax from 24% to 20% at the beginning of this year and low international prices for raw materials, the central bank said in a detailed statement.
Economic growth accelerated in 2015 to 3.8%, the highest dynamic after the crisis, driven by consumption. The central bank sees demand for consumption rising on the back of tax cuts and increased household income.
Private lending has increased, sustained by local currency lending which accounted for 52.7% of the total in March, from 51.7% in February.
The central bank board also approved the country’s quarterly inflation report at its meeting Thursday. The report will be presented during a press conference on May 10.
The central bank sees inflation remaining in negative territory until July 2016, from its previous estimate of June, due to the transitory effect of tax cuts and lower energy prices.