Inflation result eases rate pressure

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Mortgage holders are likely to be given breathing space before another interest rate rise after consumer price data released this morning showed inflation remains within the Reserve Bank's preferred band.

The consumer price index rose 0.1 per cent per cent in the first quarter of this year from the previous three months, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Prices rose at an annual rate of 2.4 per cent, at the upper end of the Reserve Bank's target of 2 to 3 per cent.

Economists had been tipping a 0.6 per cent quarterly increase, up from the 0.1 per cent drop recorded in the previous quarter. They had also forecast a 3 per cent annual rate, versus 3.3 per cent for the year to December 31.

Food prices were the biggest contributor to the fall, falling 2.3 per cent in the quarter, while prices for clothing and footwear, household items, recreation and financial services also fell.

Fruit prices fell 33.8 per cent as banana prices returned to pre-hurricane levels.

The biggest prices rises were for pharmaceuticals (12.8 per cent), house purchase (1.0 per cent, secondary education fees (+7.1%) and rents (+1.4%).

The modest inflation result is likely to reinforce investors' expectations that the RBA will leave its key cash rate stay at 6.25 per cent when its board meets next week. The outcome of that meeting will be revealed on May 2.

Economists await the release, at midday today, of the Reserve Bank's measures of underlying inflation, which strip out volatile items like bananas. This is expected to give a clearer picture of whether the bank is likely to raise interest rates next week.

The RBA has to interpret a range of signals, some of which are indicating economic growth is picking up, including accelerating expansion in China. Australia's unemployment is already at a 32-year low, leaving the economy with limited extra capacity. The worsening drought is also likely to result in higher food prices.

Last year, consumer prices rose beyond the RBA's target band in part because of higher petrol and some fruit prices, such as bananas. The bank raised rates three times last year.

austeps_join

澳币应声下跌,现在8255

黑山老妖

This is much lower than expected. Very good! Looks like no interest rate raise for a while.

maplefire

I like it...

丫丫ma

这样的话, 澳元对人民币的汇率是预期再涨, 再是跌啊?  金融盲一个...汗.....

黑山老妖

原帖由 丫丫ma 于 2007-4-24 12:24 发表
这样的话, 澳元对人民币的汇率是预期再涨, 再是跌啊?  金融盲一个...汗.....

澳元跌。