Amman: The Open Market Operations Committee at the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) decided on Thursday to leave the Central Bank's key interest rate unchanged at 5.75%, while keeping all other monetary policy rates at their current levels. The Central Bank said the decision is in line with its primary objective of maintaining monetary stability, preserving the attractiveness of dinar-denominated assets, and aligning domestic interest rates with prevailing trends in regional and international financial markets.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Committee said the Central Bank will continue to closely monitor economic and monetary developments at the regional and international levels and take the measures necessary to safeguard monetary and financial stability while contributing to the resilience of the Jordanian economy. The Committee's assessment noted that Jordan's economic performance remained sound and monetary indicators remained strong during the period under review. Foreign exchange reserves rose to $26.1 billion at the end of June, an increase of $4.1 billion compared with the end of June 2025, providing import coverage equivalent to 8.6 months.
Inflation averaged 2.03% during the first half of 2026. Meanwhile, the banking sector continued to maintain adequate levels of liquidity, profitability, and capital adequacy, reflecting the strength of the banking system and its capacity to finance economic activity. Tourism income increased by 7.0% in June despite continued regional uncertainty and tensions, although it declined by 5.3% during the first half of the year compared with the same period of 2025.
Remittances from Jordanians working abroad increased by 14.5% during the first five months of 2026 to approximately $2.1 billion, reflecting their continued contribution to supporting domestic demand and the balance of payments. National exports rose by 7.3% during the first four months of the year, compared with growth of 1.5% in the corresponding period of 2025, reaching $4.2 billion. The increase reflected the competitiveness of Jordanian exports as well as improved prices for several exported commodities in international markets.
Jordan's economy recorded real growth of 2.9% in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding earlier expectations. The Central Bank projects the economy to grow by 2.7% for the full year.