RBNZ Watch RBNZ to accelerate tightening cycle with 50bp hike Inflation is set to exceed the RBNZ’s forecasts yet again this year. With the Bank becoming increasingly worried that soaring inflation will dislodge inflation expectations, we think it will hike... 7th April 2022 · 7 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economic Outlook RBA to tighten more sharply than most anticipate We expect Australia’s GDP to surpass its pre-virus trend as soon as this quarter and to keep expanding at a robust pace thereafter. While wage growth will accelerate only gradually, we expect... 7th April 2022 · 24 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Fiscal loosening adds fuel to inflation fire The huge expansion in public spending since the start of the pandemic is a key reason why we expect Australia’s GDP to have surpassed its pre-virus trend at the start of this year despite the drag on... 1st April 2022 · 6 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia CoreLogic House Prices (Mar.) We continue to expect house prices to begin falling across the eight capital cities in 2023. But the price declines in Sydney and Melbourne in March suggest that the downturn could be starting sooner... 1st April 2022 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia - Retail Sales (Feb. 2022) The further rise in retail sales in February still leaves them a touch below their November peak but is consistent with our forecast of a solid rise in consumption in Q1. 29th March 2022 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Inflationary pressures rising Australia’s flash PMI for March provides further evidence that the pace of price rises is increasing and we think that strong inflation will convince the RBA to hike interest rates in June. Meanwhile... 25th March 2022 · 4 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update New Zealand - Fixed mortgages won’t protect the housing market New Zealand’s high share of fixed mortgage rates won’t insulate the housing market from RBNZ rate hikes. Indeed, we’re sticking to our view that house prices will fall this year and cause the RBNZ to... 23rd March 2022 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Budget to target inflation while reducing deficits The New Zealand government this week reduced fuel excise taxes by 25 cents per litre for three months. And Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has indicated the Australian Budget due on the 29 th... 18th March 2022 · 4 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Labour Market (Feb. 2022) The further decline in the Australian unemployment rate takes the labour market closer to full employment, setting the RBA up to hike rates in June. 17th March 2022 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response New Zealand GDP (Q4 2021) The rebound in GDP at the end of last year was larger than the RBNZ was anticipating, which should keep the Bank on its hiking track. And we expect the rebound to have continued in the current quarter... 16th March 2022 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Inflation expectations already rising Rising energy prices are set to lift Australian inflation further above the RBA’s target in the months ahead. And while consumer confidence has soured in response to soaring inflation, the high... 11th March 2022 · 5 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Chart Pack Broadening price pressures to prompt rate hikes RBA Governor Lowe noted in a recent speech that the Bank no longer has specific criteria for deciding whether inflation is sustainably in the target range. But he highlighted that along with the... 7th March 2022 · 11 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Private Capex Survey (Q4 2021) We estimate that private investment rose by a modest 0.7% q/q in Q4, but firms’ expectations of future capital expenditure suggest investment will strengthen before long. 24th February 2022 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update Hawkish RBNZ will eventually need to reverse course The RBNZ sounded hawkish when it lifted rates today suggesting the OCR will rise further than we had previously anticipated. But a more aggressive hiking cycle will be an even bigger headwind to the... 23rd February 2022 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Budget 2022 set to remain supportive Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy outlined this week that he thinks fiscal policy should remain loose until interest rates have been normalised to avoid exacerbating financial risks. Add in the... 18th February 2022 · 7 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Labour Market (Jan. 2022) The further rise in Australian employment despite the Omicron outbreak in January highlights the resilience of the Australian labour market and supports our forecast that the RBA will hike rates in... 17th February 2022 · 2 mins read
