The Bank of Japan kept its policy settings unchanged at the end of its two-day meeting on Friday after lifting its benchmark rate last month to the highest since 1995.

Bank of Japan officials are open to raising interest rates at a faster pace than the consensus among economists, as the yen’s continued weakness adds to upside inflation risks, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan is likely to consider raising its economic growth forecast at its July meeting while leaving the policy rate unchanged after last month hiking it to the highest level since 1995, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan may pick up the pace of its rate hikes late this year and eventually push the benchmark above 2% as it races to rein in inflation, a former central bank official said.

The Bank of Japan will probably raise interest rates earlier than most expect as it moves to normalize still excessively accommodative financial conditions, according to the bank’s former Executive Director Kenzo Yamamoto.

The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to the highest since 1995 and pledged more hikes to come, fueling speculation of another move before the end of the year.

The Bank of Japan may follow its highly anticipated rate increase next week with another move higher as soon as October as it races to stay ahead of the curve in fighting inflation, according to a former executive director.

Bank of Japan officials are set to consider a quarter percentage point increase to the benchmark interest rate this month and see the possibility of a further rate hike later this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan will probably increase its benchmark rate next month at a meeting that will determine whether authorities can keep from falling behind the curve in fighting inflation, according to a former board member.

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she will meet the country’s biggest banks to discuss Anthropic PBC’s latest AI model Mythos on Friday, as authorities around the world express concerns about the technology.

The Bank of Japan is leaning toward keeping its policy rate unchanged next week given uncertainties stemming from the war in Iran, with officials still committed to raising borrowing costs sooner or later, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bank of Japan officials are likely to consider raising their inflation forecast sharply at their policy meeting this month, mainly to reflect elevated oil prices, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan will probably increase its benchmark rate this month to avoid falling behind on controlling inflation, according to a former executive director at the central bank.

The Bank of Japan’s messaging has given traders the impression it will raise the benchmark rate this month even as authorities cite the Middle East conflict as a source of uncertainty, with a key question being whether it will send a clear signal, as it did on recent occasions before a move.

The war in Iran is raising upside risks for inflation, bolstering the case for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates as soon as this month, according to a former BOJ chief economist.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda kept the possibility of an April interest rate hike on the table after leaving policy unchanged Thursday amid uncertainty over the impact of the Middle East conflict on the economic outlook.

There is still a 50% chance the Bank of Japan will raise its benchmark rate next month after a hold in March even after the conflict in Iran generated new uncertainties, according to a former BOJ executive director who oversaw monetary policy.

Bank of Japan officials are still on track to raise interest rates, with the possibility of April not ruled out, as they continue to monitor the implications of Middle East tensions for Japan’s economy, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan is likely to seize on a raft of new data available in April as an opportunity to raise its benchmark interest rate, looking past rumblings in the market over the possibility of a move in March, according to a former BOJ board member.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda stuck to his even-handed stance on the central bank’s rate-hike path after holding the benchmark steady and raising the inflation outlook, with his comments helping nudge the yen lower before it rebounded abruptly.