The RBA has come under fire because it has not yet begun cutting interest rates like the Euro area, US, UK, Canada, and New Zealand. “RBA looking sillier by the day.” Stephen Koukoulas, Market Economics. However, the RBA did not rais...
Learn moreEven when central bankers are surprised, they do so conservatively. Jerome Powell cut rates 50 bps but then did his best to allay any concerns that the US economy is secretly worse than it seems. Meanwhile, in Oz, the RBA remains alert but not alar...
Learn moreThe RBA left rate on hold again at 4.35%. Michele Bullock, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), is feeling the pressure. Rates are falling elsewhere, even across the ditch in New Zealand. Comments from the Treasurer and a former Labor tr...
Learn moreThe RBA left rates on hold at 4.25%. The RBA does not want to have to raise rate but it is deeply concerned about the forecasted path of inflation. Inflation is now expected to take even longer to fall within the target band! For the mome...
Learn moreAt 10:08 am (AEST) on 15 July 2024, the ASX 200 broke the 8,000 barrier for the first time (see chart below). But unlike the breaking of the 7,000 mark in January 2020, it was more of a raspberry than a bugle call. There is too much uncertainty around t...
Learn moreNo, r-star doesn’t stand for “rock star”! Rather, it is the official cash rate that has a neutral impact on an economy: neither contractionary nor expansionary. It is critical for both central bankers and investors. R-star is the i...
Learn moreLike a heroine in a horror movie that suddenly feels that something is not quite right, the RBA Board is starting to feel a little uneasy. Sure inflation is still sticky, the labour market tight, and the economy slowing but the consumer is reducing thei...
Learn moreAgeing populations can be a real drag. A drag on government finances, debt, and economic growth. Many countries with fast ageing populations look to the future with foreboding. Australia however is doing better than most. Thanks to government foresight ...
Learn moreLast week’s Federal budget had an AUD 22.7 billion headline: Australia wants to be among the leaders of renewable energy and it is willing to invest public money to do it. Welcome to the “Future made in Australia”. This brave-new i...
Learn moreThe cash rate was left unchanged on Tuesday. It’s been a bumpy ride over the last 6 months in terms of economic data according to RBA Governor Michele Bullock. The weight of data in the last half of 2023 and early 2024 suggested that the next ...
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