It seems Australia and NZ central banks are lockstep on monetary policy after the latest statement from across the Tasman.
The Reserve Bank of NZ has left its key cash rate steady at a record low of 1.5%, but again warned that it might need to be cut further because of “the downside risks around the employment and inflation outlook.”
“Given the weaker global economic outlook and the risk of ongoing subdued domestic growth, a lower OCR may be needed over time to continue to meet our objectives, the bank said after a policy meeting on Wednesday.
“Domestic growth has slowed over the past year. While construction activity strengthened in the March 2019 quarter, growth in the services sector continued to slow.
“Softer house prices and subdued business sentiment continue to dampen domestic spending,“ the RBNZ said in what could be a description of the current state of the Australian economy
“The global economic outlook has weakened, and downside risks related to trade activity have intensified.
“A number of central banks are easing their monetary policy settings to support demand. The weaker global economy is affecting New Zealand through a range of trade, financial, and confidence channels.
“We expect low-interest rates and increased government spending to support a lift in economic growth and employment. Inflation is expected to rise to the 2 percent mid-point of our target range, and employment to remain near its maximum sustainable level,” the statement read.
