RBA
Officials bank on economic slump helping tame inflation
11 June
Australia’s economy is going into a slowdown, which will eventually bring inflation under control. That is the view of the Reserve Bank after officials appeared before a senate estimates hearing on Thursday, where they said a decline in momentum...[Read More]
Big bank changes RBA rate call as cost pressures ease
11 June
The Reserve Bank’s next interest rate move is more likely to be down than up, economists at National Australia Bank say. NAB has joined Commonwealth Bank and ANZ in forecasting the cash rate to stay on hold at 4.35 per cent for the rest of 2026,...[Read More]
Confidence readings punctuate lull in economic calendar
10 June
Central bankers in Australia will scrutinise consumer and business confidence figures amid a dearth of hard economic data this week. Sentiment has plummeted amongst households and employers since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict in late...[Read More]
Global economic body weighs in on Australian rate rises
4 June
A global economic body is urging the Reserve Bank not to raise interest rates again unless inflation expectations become untethered. As the economy slows as a result of the global energy shock, the central bank may even be required to cut interest...[Read More]
Labor shrugs off claim tax shift will sink house prices
3 June
Contentious changes to taxes on property investments won’t be the main driver of expected falls in prices, the housing minister says. As auction clearance rates hit lows not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, Clare O’Neil said it was unclear how...[Read More]
Jobless jump, Iran war shoot down fears of rate rise
28 May
The likelihood of a rate hike in June has shrunk after a surprise jump in the unemployment rate showed the Iran war is having a material impact on Australia’s economy. While bad news for workers, the rise in the jobless rate from 4.3 per cent to...[Read More]
Rates revelation: why RBA dissenter voted against hike
21 May
The Reserve Bank’s lone dissenter against a rate rise argued interest rates were already high enough to get inflation back under control, before being overruled by the rest of the central bank’s board. Minutes of the May 5 meeting, released on...[Read More]
Budget spending stokes fears of further rate rise pain
14 May
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is defending an extra $18 billion in government spending next financial year despite warnings it will make the Reserve Bank’s fight against inflation harder. The federal budget on Tuesday revealed government spending will...[Read More]
Third RBA rate hike might not be the end for borrowers
7 May
As mortgage holders count the costs of a third straight rate hike, economists warn there could be more pain to come after a hawkish Reserve Bank decision. The central bank’s monetary policy board voted in a split 8-1 decision to raise the official...[Read More]
Treasurer hoses down talk of big budget handouts
7 May
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has downplayed the Reserve Bank governor’s warnings about public spending adding to inflation, insisting large stimulus packages won’t be a feature of the federal budget. After lifting interest rates for the third...[Read More]
Inflation, growth, rates all hinge on end to conflict
7 May
The crisis in the Middle East fanned the flames of already buoyant inflation in Australia and could lead to more interest rate pain if it isn’t resolved, the central bank has warned. The Reserve Bank of Australia released fresh quarterly economic...[Read More]