The Press-service of the National Bank is advising that taking into account deepening of the global economic crisis and liquidity shrinking in international financial markets, to maintain economic activity and contribute to financial sector stability the National Bank continues monetary policy easing according to main directions of the monetary policy for 2009 it has announced. As the next related step, the Management Board of the National Bank decided to shift the refinancing rate to 3% from 5%, and the ceiling of the interest rate corridor to 8% from 10% from 2 March 2009. At the same time, the reserve requirement both in manat and foreign currency was shifted to 0.5% from 3%.