Tag: Rba

RBA backflips recommendation on buy now pay later “no-surcharge rules” that would see retailers able to pass BNPL costs to customers.

In the minutes of the Monetary Policy Meeting of the Reserve Bank Board, held on October 5th, Board members express uncertainty about Australia’s wage growth over the coming months. When comparing Australia’s wage inflation to other developed countries, members noted that reports of labour shortages caused by COVID-19 had not yet impacted wages. The minutes […]

The RBA’s November Statement on Monetary Policy revealed that Australia has fared better than expected but the recovery is “expected to be bumpy and uneven” and “highly sensitive to further virus outbreaks.” Although spending is still below levels seen prior to the pandemic, the RBA predicts that Victoria’s emergence from lockdown and policy measures such […]

Australia is technically out of a recession however this does not mean Australia’s recovery will be smooth-sailing. At a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday, RBA deputy governor Guy Debelle revealed that Australia’s economy grew in the September quarter. When asked about Victoria’s economy by Senator Bridget McKenzie, Dr Debelle surmised that Victoria’s economy appeared to […]

Official ABS figures released today show that the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.8 per cent in August, down from 7.5 per cent in July. This drop contrasts widespread predictions of rising unemployment. Despite stage 4 lockdowns in Melbourne and stage 3 lockdowns across regional Victoria, national employment increased by 111,000 people between July and […]

The Reserve Bank says the economy could start to bounce back in the September quarter as government begins to ease coronavirus restrictions towards the middle of the year. RBA Governor Philip Lowe said easing COVID-19 restrictions will undoubtedly help the economy, though moving too quickly could entrench an already disastrous decay in jobs, wages, inflation, and […]

Yesterday the prime minister Scott Morrison announced a second stimulus package of $66 billion to help the economy survive the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. The federal parliament could sit for just one day today to pass the government’s stimulus measures as quickly as possible, before members of parliaments reduce meetings for social distancing purposes. […]

The economy may be in need of festive cheer but the Reserve Bank board is not expected to lower the cash rate from its current record low 0.75 per cent until after the holiday season. The Reserve Bank board is expected to hold the cash rate at a record low 0.75 per cent this week […]

Reserve Bank of Australia board members agreed back-to-back cash rate cuts were necessary to eat into spare labour market capacity, but a high participation rate and an expanding working age population means it will take “some time” to achieve the ideal jobless rate.  Minutes from the RBA’s July 2 meeting show members agreed a consecutive […]

ANZ has again become the only big four bank to reduce variable mortgage rates in full following the Reserve Bank’s cash rate cut, while rivals CBA, NAB and Westpac will be passing on only part of the amount this time. ANZ was widely criticised last month when it passed on just 0.18 percentage points of […]