Yesterday
- Opinion
- Interest rates
Everyone calm down, inflation is not taking off again
The Reserve Bank should be alert to stubborn price pressures, but not alarmed.
- Updated
- Tim Hext
Economists call for tighter immigration to help RBA’s inflation war
Economists from some of the largest banks are urging the government to restrict migrant visas to help ease the housing crisis that is pushing rents and prices of goods higher.
- Updated
- Cecile Lefort
This Month
Not just cruises: Boomers direct spending to kids and grandkids
Financial advisors report many over-65s are helping family members rather than splurging – though travel is a thing.
- Joanna Mather and Lucy Dean
High inflation may last another two years unless rates rise again
If Jim Chalmers does not use the budget to cool the economy, the RBA will have little chance of achieving its target without raising interest rates, say economists.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Opinion
Central bank independence is dead
Politicians are compromising central banks’ commitments to price stability targets, and the ensuing sticky inflation will require a much tougher cost of capital to extinguish.
- Christopher Joye
OECD warns sticky inflation means rates higher for longer
The warning came as CEOs deliver upbeat assessment of the economy and financial markets push out expectations for rate cuts to May or June 2025, potentially after the next federal election.
- Ronald Mizen, James Eyers, Lucas Baird, Simon Evans, Tess Bennett and Carrie LaFrenz
Markets push interest rate cuts beyond the next election
Investors think the first rate cut may not be until May 2025 or June 2025, complicating Labor’s re-election bid amid red-hot voter concern over cost of living.
- Michael Read
Powell signals rates will stay higher for longer
The US Federal Reserve has kept rates unchanged but chairman Jerome Powell said inflation was still too high despite “sufficiently restrictive” policy.
- Updated
- Matthew Cranston
Markets cheer after Fed chief rules out rate increases
Traders have ramped up US rate cut bets this year after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold, but the prospect of higher rates in Australia this year is still on the cards.
- Cecile Lefort
- Opinion
- Federal Reserve
The US presidential election is casting a long shadow over the Fed
Lingering inflation has caused hopes for US interest rate cuts to wither. That means the Federal Reserve risks becoming dragged into a divisive election.
- Karen Maley
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Investors aren’t falling for Powell’s ‘confidence’ trick
The Fed chairman has made it clear the bar for a rate rise is very high. But while he hasn’t lost faith in disinflation, rate cuts are moving further away, too.
- James Thomson
- Opinion
- Interest rates
Are we returning to the late ’90s high interest rate era?
I’m starting to wonder whether high interest rates might last a lot longer than many people, including me, have been predicting.
- Paul Krugman
Fed, RBA to talk tough on inflation and rates
The central banks are expected to take harsher tone on tackling inflation at their upcoming policy meetings, further tempering rate cut hopes that have underpinned equities this year.
- Cecile Lefort
- Opinion
- Interest rates
Bullock must now warn that interest rates may rise again
When the RBA board meets next week, the key question governor Michele Bullock will be grappling with is the future pace of disinflation.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Interest rates
The Fed won’t move on rates, but investors will still hang on Jerome Powell’s every word
If the Fed concludes overnight that US inflation is stuck at around 3 per cent, it’s unlikely to cut rates at all this year and that will weigh on asset prices, including shares.
- Karen Maley
European economy rebounds, but June rate cut still on the cards
The bounceback has not triggered inflation, creating space for the European Central Bank to start easing the squeeze before the US Federal Reserve.
- Hans van Leeuwen
April
Budget surplus of $13b tipped, but Labor needs a ‘credible’ plan
It could be the second consecutive surplus for Labor and the first time that has happened in almost 20 years. But the longer-term outlook is increasingly bleak.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Investors need to turn detective in the hunt for interest rate pain
Several sectors on the ASX have surged on the prospect of rate cuts that aren’t coming any time soon. It’s time for investors to reassess.
- James Thomson
Call to put fixing structural deficit at heart of budget policy
UNSW professor Richard Holden said Treasurer Jim Dr Chalmers had failed to adopt clear strategy in his first two budgets, which lacked accountability.
- Ronald Mizen
AFR readers call for government spending restraint to fight inflation
Two-thirds of The Australian Financial Review readers have urged Treasurer Jim Chalmers to resist the urge to deliver a big-spending pre-election budget.
- Euan Black
