Filtered by Subscriptions: Australia & New Zealand Economics Use setting Australia & New Zealand Economics
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Consumer rebound has further to run Today’s retail sales release should mollify the RBA’s concerns that the pickup in consumer spending last quarter may have been a one-off. …
4th March 2025
RBA will only deliver shallow easing cycle The minutes of the RBA’s February meeting are consistent with our view that the Bank will continue to ease policy but won’t cut interest rates very far. It came as no surprise that the Board debated the decision …
New Zealand’s current account deficit will remain large as domestic demand rebounds and the government is running a sizeable structural budget deficit. While the New Zealand dollar has recently been among the worst-performing G10 currencies, we expect it …
3rd March 2025
The modest uptick in Australian house prices last month is unlikely to mark the beginning of a meaningful rally. With the Reserve Bank of Australia set to deliver a shallow easing cycle, housing affordability will remain stretched, weighing on the …
Soft data belie lingering capacity pressures At first glance, data released this week should give the Reserve Bank of Australia greater confidence that it has brought inflation under control. To start with, the ABS’ Monthly CPI indicator showed that both …
28th February 2025
Our ANZ Chart Pack has been updated with the latest data and our analysis of recent developments. The RBA began its easing cycle with a 25bp cut this month, but it appeared in no hurry to loosen policy settings further. We expect the Bank to cut again in …
26th February 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. With price pressures remaining subdued, RBA can ease a bit further The relatively soft CPI print for January should ease some of the RBA’s concerns about the stickiness of …
The Australian and New Zealand dollars have fared worse than almost every other currency over the past few months. We think they will continue to do so. The US dollar has been on the back foot lately, unwinding some of its earlier Trump-era gains as US …
25th February 2025
Risks are tilting towards less easing As most had expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia began its easing cycle with a 25bp cut this Tuesday. However, in her post-meeting press conference Governor Bullock took pains to rein in expectations for further …
21st February 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Hot jobs report will keep the RBA vigilant The tight labour market reinforces our view that the RBA will deliver a shallow easing cycle. We expect the Bank to hand down only two …
20th February 2025
Having handed down a third consecutive 50bp rate cut at its meeting today, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is likely to slow the pace of easing going forward. That said, we still think there’s a compelling case for a lower terminal rate than most are …
19th February 2025
RBNZ to cut further than most expect Having handed down its third consecutive 50bp cut today, the RBNZ is likely to slow the pace of easing going forward. That said, we still think there’s a compelling case for a lower terminal rate than most are …
Wage pressures continue to soften Although the RBA will welcome the continued slowdown in wage growth, we still think it will deliver only a shallow easing cycle. The 0.7% q/q rise in the wage price index last quarter was a touch softer than most had …
The decision by the US and Russia to “lay the groundwork” to end the war in Ukraine marks a potentially significant turning point after three years of conflict. Negotiations will take time and the macroeconomic implications will depend on the features of …
18th February 2025
When the Reserve Bank of Australia handed down its inaugural 25bp cut today, it indicated that any further withdrawal of monetary restriction would be limited, given residual inflationary pressures. Accordingly, we’re comfortable with our view that the …
RBA starts easing, but tempers expectations for further cuts When the Reserve Bank of Australia cut rates by 25bp at its meeting today, it signalled that any further withdrawal of monetary restriction would be gradual. Accordingly, we’re comfortable with …
Tax cuts could kickstart the recovery With the New Zealand economy plainly in dire straits , the government is reportedly considering slashing the corporate income tax (CIT) rate in the upcoming May budget. There is certainly a compelling case for the …
14th February 2025
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will almost certainly cut rates by 50bp, to 3.75%, at its meeting on 19 th February. Although the Bank is likely to revert to 25bp cuts thereafter, we think it has much more work to do to reduce excess capacity in the …
12th February 2025
Labour market remains tight and there are signs of green shoots in the economy But with inflation slowing markedly, RBA will cut by 25bp next Tuesday Scope for further policy loosening remains modest We expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut rates by …
11th February 2025
Pickup in consumption won't nix RBA rate cut Data released this week suggest that the Australian consumer felt rather upbeat last quarter. To start with, we learnt that retail sales held steady in December, a better result than most had anticipated. As a …
7th February 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. More slack than meets the eye With the labour market continuing to cool, another 50bp cut by the RBNZ later this month is all but nailed on. The 0.1% q/q fall in employment in Q4 …
4th February 2025
Australia’s housing slowdown continued into the new year, as demand softened further. Although the prospect of imminent rate cuts could temporarily buoy buyer sentiment, we don’t expect a meaningful rally in the housing market given that affordability is …
3rd February 2025
RBA's February rate cut is still on Although retail sales rose strongly last quarter, we doubt the pickup in consumer spending will keep the RBA from beginning its easing cycle later this month. The 0.1% m/m fall in sales values in December was a much …
We still expect a shallow easing cycle Over the past few weeks, we’ve been flagging the risk that the Reserve Bank of Australia would loosen policy settings sooner rather than later. With CPI data released this week surprising materially to the downside, …
31st January 2025
Soft CPI data paves the way for RBA to cut in February With underlying inflation on track to enter the RBA’s 2-3% target band this quarter, we now expect the Bank to begin its easing cycle at its next meeting in February. The 0.2% q/q rise in consumer …
29th January 2025
Case for RBNZ to ease aggressively remains intact With data released this week showing that inflation in New Zealand remained subdued last quarter, it’s all but certain that the RBNZ will cut rates by another 50bp, to 3.75%, at its meeting next month. …
24th January 2025
We suspect that a Coalition government would run slightly tighter fiscal policy than Labor, which in turn may encourage the Reserve Bank of Australia to loosen monetary policy a bit more aggressively than we’re anticipating. But while we expect the …
22nd January 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. With price pressures continuing to abate, the RBNZ should have no qualms about cutting rates by another 50bp at its meeting next month. The 0.5% q/q rise in consumer prices last …
21st January 2025
The Shape of the Fractured World in 2025 The share of the fracturing global economy that is accounted for by China and its geopolitical allies contracted in 2024, leaving it under a third the size of the US bloc at the start of 2025. This fall was in part …
17th January 2025
Upcoming inflation data will be pivotal Data released this week broadly support our view that the Reserve Bank of Australia won’t be in a rush to start cutting rates. Indeed, yesterday’s blockbuster jobs report only adds to the evidence that the …
Our ANZ Chart Pack has been updated with the latest data and our analysis of recent developments. The Antipodean central banks will tread different paths on policy over the forecast horizon. With the New Zealand economy in dire straits and with inflation …
16th January 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Tight labour market bolsters case for RBA to stay put Although we expect the labour market to cool in earnest over the course of this year, risks to our forecast that the …
It’s possible that prolonged weakness in economic activity and a jump in unemployment force the RBA to cut rates more aggressively than we’re anticipating. However, a more likely scenario resulting in below-neutral rates is that a sharper-than-expected …
15th January 2025
Tight labour market muddies the waters Financial markets are becoming increasingly optimistic that the RBA’s next easing cycle is right around the corner. They are now pricing in a 70% chance that the Bank will hand down a 25bp cut at its meeting in …
10th January 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Consumer spending showing tentative signs of life Although the boost from November Black Friday sales disappointed expectations a bit, consumer spending does appear to have been …
9th January 2025
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Disinflation gathering momentum The RBA is unlikely to pay much heed to the slight pickup in headline inflation in November. In fact, with underlying price pressures showing …
8th January 2025
The Cold War was defined by geopolitical blocs – the Soviet or Eastern bloc against the Western bloc. Geopolitics retreated with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The period from the early-1990s to the early-2010s was instead an era of globalisation: most …
7th January 2025
Donald Trump’s second term could redraw the global geopolitical map. A sustainable “Grand Bargain” with China, warmer relations with Russia, or a breakdown in the relationship between the US and its traditional allies could each reshape supply chains and …
There was little festive cheer in Australia’s housing market last month, with house prices stagnating across the country’s eight capital cities. Given our view that the RBA has only limited room to cut interest rates over the coming year, prospects for a …
2nd January 2025
Bank unlikely to cut rates before May The minutes of the RBA’s December meeting struck a slightly dovish tone. However, with the labour market still firing on all cylinders, we doubt the Board will risk loosening policy prematurely. Accordingly, we still …
24th December 2024
RBA shake up The week began with Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers announcing two new picks for the RBA’s monetary policy committee. To recap, in late November, parliament approved an overhaul of the RBA, in line with the recommendations of a review …
20th December 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Cratering activity bolsters the case for aggressive easing With activity in freefall, we expect the RBNZ to keep cutting rates aggressively over the year ahead. The 1.0% q/q fall …
18th December 2024
Tight labour market will muddy the waters Although the Reserve Bank of Australia predictably left rates on hold at its meeting on Tuesday, the Board didn’t exactly try to hide the fact that it was in a more dovish mood. Indeed, the Bank stated that it was …
13th December 2024
Overview – Although their recent performance leaves much to be desired, we believe that both Antipodean economies are on the cusp of a cyclical upswing. But while the RBNZ has ample room to support the recovery without stoking inflation risks, the same …
12th December 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. RBA to stay its hand as labour market tightens With the labour market still firing on all cylinders, there’s little need for the RBA to rush to loosen policy. Accordingly, we …
The RBA sounded more dovish today and it’s looking increasingly likely that it will lower interest rates sooner rather than later. While a downside surprise in Q4 inflation could trigger a February rate cut, we think the continued tightness of the labour …
10th December 2024
RBA will only ease policy in Q2 next year The Reserve Bank of Australia today signaled greater confidence that inflation will return towards target over the next couple of years, but we still expect the first rate cut to happen only in Q2 next year. As …
Bank will remain patient Following the release of disappointing Q3 GDP figures this Wednesday, financial markets have started to bring forward their expectations for rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia. (See Chart 1.) They now see a three in four …
6th December 2024
The RBA will leave interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting on 10 th December. While the weakness in economic activity points to rate cuts before long, we think the Bank will need to see clearer evidence that the labour market is loosening and …
4th December 2024
Weak activity points to RBA easing policy before long GDP growth remained sluggish in the third quarter, adding to the case for the RBA to start easing policy before long. The 0.3% q/q rise in GDP in the third quarter was a touch weaker than the analyst …
