Russia’s Central Bank of Russia (CBR) kept rates on hold at 16% as expected at its monetary policy meeting on March 22, despite slowing inflation and falling inflation expectations amongst the population. (chart) The central bank said that “current inflation pressures are gradually easing but remain high” and that “seasonally adjusted price growth in February remained at its January level” (of around 6-7% in annualised terms). The central bank more or less repeated its view that “it is premature to judge the pace of future disinflationary trends” and maintained its assessment that “the balance…