Monetary Policy Council holds interest rates steady

This will result in more expensive loans both in Poland and abroad as central banks raise interest rates due to rapid economic growth. According to forecasts, GDP growth jumped to 7.2-7.5% in Q1 - the fastest rate for a decade. "We have years of strong growth ahead of us in Poland. 5.5-6% growth can be expected in 2008 as the situation on the labor market is the best we have seen since the mid 90's. This may also result in an inflation increase in the long run though," said Radosław Bodys, economist of Merrill Lynch in London. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B1) M.M.