Market insights

Forecasting how high central banks will lift official interest rates in the current cycle is proving to be an unusually difficult task. One problem is judging whether central banks will be as good as their current word and do whatever it takes to reduce high inflation...

The Australian economy grew in Q2 2022 at 0.9% q-o-q, 3.6% y-o-y and at a decade best 3.9% annual average real rate in 2021-22. In current price terms the economy was extraordinarily robust and grew in Q2 at 4.3% q-o-q, 12.1% y-o-y. Strong growth appears to have...

During August sentiment in financial markets took a bearish turn as the US Federal Reserve slapped down the market’s notion that an end to rate hikes was in sight, instead warning that it would do whatever was necessary to bring down inflation. The idea that rising...

Global economic growth is losing pace but inflation remains uncomfortably high according to economic reports and data releases through August. Also concerns are emerging that inflation could stay higher for longer adding to the difficult task faced by central banks...

Australia is approaching peaks in annual economic growth and inflation probably in Q3 and possibly in Q4. One problem facing the RBA and what it may need to do to the official cash rate is that it will not know how high those peaks are until the data releases – late...