Every few years, the government hands the Reserve Bank a new set of instructions.
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The next set of instructions handed to the Reserve Bank will have to be realistic. That might mean a big change.
Reserve Bank Governor Phi;lip Lowe will keep cutting rates until he has forced inflation up and unemployment down.
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The Reserve Bank cut interest rates on Tuesday because we weren’t spending or pushing up prices at the rate it wanted. On Wednesday we might find things are worse than it thought.
The prudential regulator has a history of doing too much, too late.
Combined, APRA and the Reserve Bank are about to give households on $150,000 up to $120,000 more borrowing power.
APRA’s move will make the Reserve Bank rate cuts more potent.
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Under cover of a speech from the Reserve Bank governor, the Prudential Regulation Authority has moved to make it 10% easier to borrow.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a campaign rally. They’ll have to shore up a weakening economy.
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Frydenberg and Morrison will have to switch from boasting about the economy to fixing it, quickly.
We can’t rely on consumer spending to keep us recession-free.
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Expect two more interest rate cuts, but they mightn’t be enough.
On the first Tuesday of every month but one the Reserve Bank has to make a decision. This time the inflation rate is zero.
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Interest rate cuts don’t work like they used to, and they help us put off the hard things we need to do to improve our lives.
The case for cutting rates is strong, but there’s a stronger case for waiting. The Reserve Bank’s Sydney HQ.
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The Reserve Bank has adjusted rates in previous election campaigns, but it needs to have a very, very, good reason.
The last time inflation was zero the Reserve Bank cut rates twice. It’ll get the chance on May 7.
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Inflation has barely been within the Governor Philip Lowe’s target band his entire time in office. Zero inflation means he should cut now, before the election.
Philip Lowe tells the Press Club on Wednesday there’s now an even-money chance rates will be cut.
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Rates might need to be cut urgently, and because things are good. Governor Lowe has signalled he won’t wait.
The RBA governor gave a speech on demographics and monetary policy.
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The new RBA monetary statement is just like the old one.
Can the RBA do anything to address persistently low inflation?
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As with economic growth and wages, the RBA’s response seems to involve crossing as many fingers and toes as possible and publicly proclaiming that things are looking good.
The air may fizzle out of the Australian balloon, or it may burst violently.
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A whole bunch of folks are on the wire, and if their housing payments go up they are going to struggle.
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Two experts argue for and against government intervention when it comes to fixing low wage growth.
The RBA argues that it needs to balance financial stability risks against the need to stimulate the economy through lower interest rates. But this has left inflation running below its target range.
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If the RBA continues to sacrifice its inflation target on the altar of financial stability risks, inflation expectations and our wages growth will continue to languish.
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If we do escape the interest only debacle unscathed it will be pure, dumb luck, not a consequence of good design or sound regulation.
Longer-term interest rates influence households’ and businesses’ spending and investment plans.
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While the RBA might not be able to influence the current cash rate, it can still influence longer-term rates by offering guidance about its future policy decisions.
Construction of apartments will be a key thing to watch in 2018.
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Statements from the RBA show it’s little wonder markets are not predicting a rate increase this year.
New Fed chair Jerome Powell has some tough choices ahead.
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The data shows a tricky balancing act for policy makers. Interest rates will need to rise but too quickly could squash the recovery.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has changed what goes into its inflation calculation.
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Weak Australian inflation and housing credit data mean the Reserve Bank is unlikely to move on interest rates.