Bank Indonesia, the country’s central bank, left its benchmark interest rate at 8 percent after assessing last year’s economic data and the outlook for 2008, its governor said this week.

“Bank Indonesia today (Tuesday) decided to keep the BI rate unchanged after evaluating the economic developments in 2007 and the outlook for 2008, as well as various economic risks the country may face this year, including inflationary pressure,” Burhanuddin Abdullah told a press briefing.

Indonesia’s inflation rate eased slightly in December, coming in at 6.6 percent against a year ago. The figure was above the government forecast of 6 percent but within the central bank’s target of 5 to 7 percent.