Australias central bank holds rates at 2.5 pct

(MENAFN) The central bank of Australia decided to hold interest rates at 2.5 percent for the second month in a row, Times of Oman reported. The bank kept the rates at 2.5 percent as an attempt to push the economy to increase confidence after the Asian mining spree in the country began slowing down. "The (Australian) economy has been growing a bit below trend over the past year. This is expected to continue in the near term as the economy adjusts to lower levels of mining investment," the central banks governor said.