Reserve Bank leaves room to move on interest rates
Reserve Bank leaves room to move on interest rates
Posted on Tuesday, February 19 2013 at 2:29 PM
The release of minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) meeting earlier this month point to a potential future rate drop.
“The
inflation outlook, as assessed at this meeting, would afford scope to ease
policy further, should it be necessary to support demand,” the minutes said.
The
bank’s decision to hold the cash rate at three per cent was decided in a
climate of mixed results with positive data for Australia’s economy and the
property industry tempered by a lack of confidence in employment and finance, according
to the RBA.
“Resource
exports had increased strongly up to December and a range of indicators pointed
to further gradual improvement in conditions in the housing market.
“On
the other hand, housing finance remained relatively subdued and indicators
suggested that non-mining business investment would continue to be weak in the
near term.”
The
RBA believes previous cuts to the cash rate are taking effect in housing.
“While conditions remained soft in the construction
industry, there were some signs that the housing market had firmed, partly due
to the series of interest rate reductions over 2012… and prices and rental
yields in the established housing market had also picked up.
“Improving
conditions in the housing market were expected to continue to provide support
to dwelling investment.”
Last
year’s inflation rate remained within the RBA’s target range of two to three
per cent and the underlying inflation rate was expected to be around the 2.5
per cent mark for the first few quarters of 2013.
Given
the extent of easing in interest rates over the 15 months, the RBA felt it was
prudent to keep the cash rate at three per cent in the wake of previous cuts.
“Interest
rate sensitive parts of the economy had shown some signs of responding to these
lower rates, which were well below their longer-run averages, and further
effects could be expected over time.”
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