We rule! Five dollar bill wins bank note beauty show
Our newly introduced five dollar note has won a world currency contest.
Our newly introduced five dollar note has won a world currency contest.
What is the lesser of two evils - the housing bubble or low inflation? It's a tough choice when you consider the limited ability of monetary policy to definitively solve either problem.
COMMENT: The Reserve Bank is back in a familiar place - between those two rocks of very low CPI inflation and very high house price inflation.
Bill English scotched speculation that a letter released today showed he is concerned about the Bank's performance.
The letter makes reference to the performance of the Reserve Bank governor although it includes no specific comment on performance of current governor Graeme Wheeler.
The Reserve Bank could expand mortgage lending restrictions in an effort to head off the housing boom as it rolls down the country, economists say.
Inflation for the first quarter of the year was bang on Reserve Bank expectations and won't add weight for another rate cut next week, say economists.
Latest CPI stats show that plunging petrol prices have been cancelled out by rising tobacco prices, pushing inflation to 0.2pc.
Westpac economist says a resurgent property market means new lending restrictions are likely.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has unveiled the design of the country's new $5 banknote, and the reaction has been mixed.
COMMENT: The dollar is not coming to the rescue of struggling dairy farmers. It's coming to the rescue of retailers, motorists, gourmet food importers.
Treasury secretary says he's seen no evidence that the policy framework between Reserve Bank and Finance Minister needs to be "radically different."
Blogger Michael Reddell says he makes no claims as to authenticity of the information he received but wanted to ensure the Reserve Bank's process was robust.
COMMENT: The irony is banks have helped Reserve Bank avoid the feared side effect of the rate cut of adding more fuel on Auckland property price fires.
Banks rarely pass on full official cash rate cuts to mortgage holders, Reserve Bank data shows.
The knife has been taken to saver's interest rates, but banks have been reluctant to drop mortgage rates.
The economy grew faster than expected in the December quarter but economists remained unimpressed.
If Labour was in government it would start with "pretty serious talking" with the banks, says leader.
COMMENT: It's Friday morning, the day after the Reserve Bank Governor's bombshell rate cut and I've muddled my diary.
COMMENT: While the focus is on government debt and farm debt, interest rate cut adds to a much bigger problem.
Farm prices would fall by up to 40 per cent and banks would have to write off up to 15 per cent of their loans in a "worst case scenario".
BRIAN FALLOW: An increasingly sombre view of the global economy lies behind the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate.
Three banks say they will pass on only part of the surprise official cash rate cut made by the Reserve Bank.
BARRY SOPER: If you're talking to the great unwashed, then leave the text books in the vault, writes Barry Soper upon his visit to the Reserve Bank.
Wheeler's surprise move at odds with the way he was talking a few weeks ago, write Liam Dann.
WATCH: Fran O'Sullivan, Brian Gaynor and Liam Dann dissect the surprising rate cut and what it means for house prices.
The New Zealand dollar dropped by US1c after the Reserve Bank surprised the market with this morning's OCR cut.
Here's a synopsis of current market thinking: governor doesn't want to cut rates but he will have to cut because the world's so gloomy, writes Liam Dann.