Ammon News - The Bank of Korea kept its benchmark interest rate steady while citing a significant increase in downside risks to growth that have emerged since February, in a dovish hold decision pointing to a resumption of policy easing in coming months.

The central bank kept its seven-day repurchase rate unchanged at 2.75% on Thursday. The move was forecast by 15 of 24 economists polled by Bloomberg. The other nine analysts forecast a quarter-percentage-point cut. The won vacillated after the decision, as equities extended gains. Bloomberg