
Bollard lifts OCR, future hikes likely to be less
While increasing the OCR this morning, Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has indicated that future hikes won't be as aggressive as earlier tipped.
While increasing the OCR this morning, Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has indicated that future hikes won't be as aggressive as earlier tipped.
The NZ dollar has tumbled this morning, after Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard signalled that future interest rate rises will be more modest than earlier indicated.
Bollard's statement carried a thinly veiled warning about the consequences of passing on GST increases.
The NZ dollar climbed to a six-month high as a surge in new home sales in the US stoked investors' appetite for higher-yielding, or riskier, assets.
It's clear the economy has become dependent on the debt growth fuelled by the housing market's ever-increasing values.
The New Zealand dollar may advance as traders eschew an out-of-favour greenback and seek growth assets Downunder this week.
The Reserve Bank is tipped to raise the Official Cash Rate next week, despite lower than expected economic growth.
New CPI figures show prices rose 0.3 per cent for the June 2010 quarter, meaning annual inflation is running at 1.8 per cent.
The New Zealand dollar may be little changed over the next five days after a 3.2pc surge last week took it above 71 US cents for the first time in a fortnight.
Auckland house sales slumped 16pc in June, with the average sale price falling 3.6pc from a year ago, says real estate firm Barfoot & Thompson.
In a new statement of intent, the Reserve Bank says it is looking at new tools to support the traditional Official Cash Rate.
Phil Goff says the Labour Party would require the Reserve Bank to pursue broader objectives.
Alan Bollard says a pickup in sales of 'uridashi' bonds to Japanese investors would be useful.
The average floating mortgage is expected to rise by $10 a week after the Reserve Bank lifted the OCR for the first time since 2007.
For borrowers the Reserve Bank's statement makes dispiriting reading...
Opinion is divided on whether inflationary pressures and the global crisis will be enough for Alan Bollard to begin lifting rates next week.