Reserve Bank of Australia leaves cash rate unchanged at 1.50%

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) at its monetary policy meeting held today, kept the official cash rate (OCR) on hold at a record low of 1.50 percent for the twenty-second meeting in a row.

The RBA statement read: “The low level of interest rates is continuing to support the Australian economy. Further progress in reducing unemployment and having inflation return to target is expected, although this progress is likely to be gradual. Taking account of the available information, the Board judged that holding the stance of monetary policy unchanged at this meeting would be consistent with sustainable growth in the economy and achieving the inflation target over time.”

With regard to the inflation level, the RBA added: “The latest inflation data were in line with the Bank's expectations. Over the past year, the CPI increased by 2.1 per cent, and in underlying terms, inflation was close to 2 per cent. The central forecast is for inflation to be higher in 2019 and 2020 than it is currently. In the interim, once-off declines in some administered prices in the September quarter are expected to result in headline inflation in 2018 being a little lower than earlier expected, at 1¾ per cent.”

On the exchange rate value: “The Australian dollar remains within the range that it has been in over the past two years.”

On housing markets: “Conditions in the Sydney and Melbourne housing markets have continued to ease and nationwide measures of rent inflation remain low. Housing credit growth has declined to an annual rate of 5½ per cent. This is largely due to reduced demand by investors as the dynamics of the housing market have changed.”