RBA keeps rates on hold
Volatile financial markets caused by problems in European economies forced the RBA to keep the cash rate steady at 4.5 per cent for the second month in a row.
After three consecutive rate rises earlier in the year, the RBA today decided to leave rates on hold in July.
"The current setting of monetary policy is resulting in interest rates to borrowers around their average levels of the past decade. Pending further information about international and local conditions for demand and prices, the Board views this setting of monetary policy as appropriate," governor Glenn Stevens said earlier today.
The RBA has raised official interest rates six times since last October, taking the official cash rate from the historic lows of 3 per cent to what the central bank considers a more normal rate of 4.5 per cent.
But while interest rates are largely considered to be back at ‘neutral levels’, a spray of new data suggests future rate increases remain on the cards.
The monthly TD-Securities-Melbourne Institute inflation gauge rose 0.3 per cent in June for an annual reading of 3.6 per cent – well above the RBA's 2 to 3 per cent inflation target band.
In addition, ANZ’s latest Job Advertisements Series found job ads are currently growing at the fastest rate since November 2007.
The total number of jobs advertised rose by 2.7 per cent in June, to an average of 169,690 per week.
But ANZ’s chief economist Warren Hogan said the recent strength in job advertisement numbers is not broadly-based.
In fact, the rise in job advertisements was driven entirely by a 3 per cent rise in internet advertising.
“The mixed result for the Job Series only added to the RBA’s case for keeping policy rates unchanged for now,” Mr Hogan said.