BoJ leaves rates unchanged, downgrades outlook

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's central bank on Tuesday left its super-low interest rates unchanged as it cut its growth forecast for Asia's largest economy for the second time in less than three months.

The Bank of Japan's policy board decided unanimously to leave interest rates at 0.5 percent, where they have been since February last year, the central bank said in a statement.

The BoJ trimmed its growth forecast for the current fiscal year to March to 1.2 percent from 1.5 percent.

It also lowered its forecast for gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the next fiscal year to 1.5 percent from 1.7 percent.

"The downside risks to growth mean that no policy change is likely for the remainder of the year," said Macquarie Securities economist Richard Jerram.

The central bank also revised upward its estimate for core consumer price inflation ...