The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to once again leave the official cash rate unchanged at 1.5% with the last rate move back in August 2016. I’d like to share today’s rate announcement and the thoughts on why the Reserve Bank of Australia has made this decision.
The economy appears delicately poised with slow wages growth, low inflation, a slowing housing market, tighter lending policies and high levels of household debt now leading some economists to believe that the next rate change could be down. Contrasting this, we have seen some lenders increase rates out of cycle, citing an increased cost of funds as the reason. Until the RBA sees a strong economic lead one way or the other it is highly likely to continue to leave rates as they are
The interbank ( cash ) rate is just that, the rate at which the commercial banks deal exchange settlement funds between themselves and so it has little bearing on real funding costs.
The next meeting will be on 7th August 2018