Figures released by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) show the country has managed to bring down inflation to its lowest since 2020 when prices started to rise because of US sanctions and economic impacts of coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with Eghtesad Online, Hussein Selahevarzi, an economic activist, discussed the challenges within Iran's banking system, particularly focusing on the issue of banks operating as holding companies. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, efforts are underway to eliminate this practice. The Minister of Economic Affairs has announced that "bank holding companies will be phased out within the next two years," but achieving this goal requires policies that prevent banks from continuing or intensifying this approach. Some economic analysts believe that in order to reduce the incentives for banks to engage in holding company activities, the government should bring interest rates closer to inflation rates. This is especially important given the difficulties banks have faced under sanctions and the accumulation of non-performing loans from businesses that took significant risks but failed to repay their debts on time.

Experts believe that the 2024 budget bill, with its current state, will raise inflation by at least 20% next year. However, contrary to these predictions, some members of parliament argue that housing prices will not only remain stable but may even experience a downward trend by the end of this year.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reassessed Iran's economic outlook, improving its forecasts for both inflation and economic growth compared to previous reports.

Second debate in 2024 Iran presidential runoff election between presidential contenders former health minister Masoud Pezeshkian and former lead nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was held on Tuesday night.

The World Bank says Iran’s economy has continued to grow for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the success of the Iranian administration in curbing inflation and stabilizing the currency market.

The World Bank (WB) in its latest report on Tuesday said the inflation rate of food in Iran has halved and dropped to 37.4 percent.

EghtesadOnline: The Producer Price Index for the agriculture sector (agronomy, horticulture and traditional husbandry) in the four-quarter period to Sept. 22, which marks the end of the second quarter of the current Iranian year, increased by 58.5% compared with the year before, new data released by the Statistical Center of Iran show.

EghtesadOnline: T “ransportation”, one of 12 groups of goods and services surveyed by the Statistical Center of Iran for calculating the inflation rate, registered an average annualized inflation of 36.2% in the seventh month of the current Iranian year (Sept. 23-Oct. 22).

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “furniture, home appliances and their maintenance” in the 12-month period ending April 20, which marks the last day of the first fiscal month, increased by 43.2% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index in the 12 months to April 20 increased by 39.2% from the corresponding period the year before, latest data released by the Statistical Center of Iran show.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index in the 12-month period ending March 20, which marks the final day of the fiscal 2021-22, increased by 40.2% compared with the corresponding period of the year before, latest data released by the Statistical Center of Iran show.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “education” in the 12-month period ending Feb. 19, which marks the end of the 11th month of the current Iranian year, increased by 24.5% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

EghtesadOnline: The Producer Price Inflation for the services sector reached an all-time high in the autumn of the current fiscal year.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “furniture, home appliances and their maintenance” in the 12-month period ending Jan. 20 increased by 52.8% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “transportation” in the 12-month period ending Jan. 20 increased by 40.2% compared with the similar period of the year before.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “food and beverages” in the 12-month period ending Jan. 20 increased by 56.5% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

EghtesadOnline: The 70% increase in value added tax, the change in its calculation basis for imports and the rise in fuel prices for industries have inflated the fiscal 2022-23 budget, said the head of the Research Center of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.

EghtesadOnline: The CPI of the group stood at 472.7 in the month to Dec. 21, indicating a 2.1% rise compared with the previous month.

EghtesadOnline: The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “housing and utilities (water, electricity, natural gas and other fuels)” in the 12-month period ending Dec. 21 increased by 26.7% compared with the corresponding period of the year before.