Zambia's central bank leaves rate unchanged at 9.75 percent

LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia's central bank left its main lending rate unchanged at 9.75 percent for the second straight month at its August meeting, maintaining tight monetary policy to try and suppress inflationary pressures, it said in a statement on Friday. "The Committee has weighed the inflationary risks and has resolved that monetary policy should continue to be relatively tight during the policy-relevant period in order to moderate inflationary pressures," the statement said . Consumer inflation in the southern African country braked to 7.1 percent year-on-year in August, from 7.3 percent in July.