Indonesia’s central bank caught markets off guard with a surprise rate cut, upending expectations that it would keep policy settings on hold to help stabilize the rupiah.

Indonesia's central bank said the rupiah's fall against U.S. dollar was still under control, after the currency slid to its weakest level in more than six months on Thursday following a surprise cut in interest rates the day before.

Indonesia unexpectedly reduced its key interest rate in its first monetary policy decision this year, moving to bolster economic growth even after the local currency recently weakened beyond the key level of 16,

Indonesia’s central bank defied the expectations of practically the entire market when it cut interest rates this week, deepening a period of uncertainty for government bond yields. Most Read from BloombergThese Homes Withstood the LA Fires.

Bank Indonesia (BI) slashed its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.75 per cent, defying market expectations and signalling a shift in focus towards revitalising South-east Asia’s largest economy amid signs of a slowdown.

Indonesia’s rupiah fell to its lowest in more than five months on Wednesday ahead of the central bank’s monetary policy decision later in the day, while the Thai baht stalled around a seven-week low as dollar remains dominant. The rupiah slid as much as 0.4% to 16,318 per dollar, a level not seen since late July last year.

JAKARTA : Indonesia defied market expectations by cutting its key interest rate, moving to bolster economic growth even after the local currency’s recent slide beyond the key level of 16,000 to the dollar. Bank Indonesia (BI) lowered the benchmark BI-Rate by 25 basis points to 5.75% today.