tmmonline.nz  |   landlords.co.nz        About Good Returns  |  Advertise  |  Contact Us  |  Terms & Conditions  |  RSS Feeds

NZ's Financial Adviser News Centre

GR Logo
Last Article Uploaded: Friday, November 1st, 10:39AM

Mortgages

Mortgage Rates Daily Commentary
Friday 1 November 2024  Add your comment
Rise in households struggling with mortgage repayments; RBNZ: house prices still near top of sustainable levels

Mortgage arrears continue to rise but are still low by historical levels. [READ ON]

The Reserve Bank says house prices remain near the top of its estimate of sustainable levels and remain “a stretch” for many would-be buyers. [See here]

rss
Latest Headlines

Future OCR cuts dependent on inflation

Persistently subdued inflation means a further OCR cut looks likely, but economists are suggesting that the tide may have turned on multiple cuts.

Thursday, July 7th 2016, 11:11AM

by Miriam Bell

New Zealand’s economy is trucking along nicely – and yet inflation continues to evade the Reserve Bank’s target level, according to several new reports.

HSBC’s quarterly global economics report has just been released and it says New Zealand’s economy is performing well, driven by tourism and construction.

Despite continued weakness in dairy prices, these sectors are boosting economic growth to the point that HSBC has revised its GDP forecast for the country this year.

Report author Janet Henry said that, given the better-than-expected activity indicators, they have raised their GDP growth forecast from 2.4% to 2.6% in 2016.

Despite this, the Reserve Bank still faces a challenge in getting inflation up to its “near 2%'” target on a sustained basis – with most measures of underlying inflation near the bottom edge of the 1-3% target band, she said.

“However, recent data has provided some evidence that inflation may be past its trough, making multiple rate cuts unlikely in our view.

“Given the low inflation, we expect the cash rate to be cut once more in the third quarter of 2016, to a new record low of 2.00%.”

Another indicator that inflation, while still low, might be improving came in the NZIER quarterly survey of business opinion, which was released on Tuesday.

It showed that there was a rebound in business confidence in the June quarter.

Further, it showed that demand held up over the quarter, against expectations earlier this year of a softening in demand.

NZIER senior economist Christina Leung said business profitability was improving, but inflation remains muted.

The subdued inflation outlook indicates further scope to cut the OCR, she said.

“The heightened uncertainty from Britain’s recent decision to leave the European Union suggests a greater risk the Reserve Bank will choose to cut the OCR in August in a bid to buffer the New Zealand economy against any downside risks.”

However, NZIER does expect that annual inflation will lift gradually over the coming years, Leung said.

Bank economists noted the NZIER survey was a mixed bag of results, particularly as it predated the Brexit vote.

ASB senior economist Jane Turner said that, on balance, the Reserve Bank will be encouraged with the NZIER survey results.

This is because they suggest domestic momentum has improved since March, with a firm lift in business confidence and a lift in broad inflation indicators, although they do remain at low levels.

However, ASB continues to expect the Reserve Bank will cut the OCR to 2%, largely due to the resilient strength in the NZD, Turner said.

“While we also continue to expect a cut to 1.75% later this year, there is a high threshold for the Reserve Bank to cut below 2%.

“And if business confidence remains upbeat over the rest of the year, this will reduce the odds of a cut below 2%.”

Tags: ASB banks HSBC interest rates OCR OCR forecasts Reserve Bank

« OCR quandary for RBNZWestpac cuts interest-only term »

Special Offers

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Sign In to add your comment

 

print

Printable version  

print

Email to a friend
Mortgage Rates Table

Full Rates Table | Compare Rates

Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
AIA - Back My Build 5.44 - - -
AIA - Go Home Loans 7.99 5.99 5.69 5.69
ANZ 7.89 6.59 6.29 6.29
ANZ Blueprint to Build 7.39 - - -
ANZ Good Energy - - - 1.00
ANZ Special - 5.99 5.69 5.69
ASB Bank 7.89 5.99 5.69 5.69
ASB Better Homes Top Up - - - 1.00
Avanti Finance 8.40 - - -
Basecorp Finance 9.60 - - -
BNZ - Classic - 5.99 5.69 5.69
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
BNZ - Mortgage One 7.94 - - -
BNZ - Rapid Repay 7.94 - - -
BNZ - Std 7.94 5.99 5.69 5.69
BNZ - TotalMoney 7.94 - - -
CFML 321 Loans 6.20 - - -
CFML Home Loans 6.45 - - -
CFML Prime Loans 8.25 - - -
CFML Standard Loans 9.20 - - -
China Construction Bank - 7.09 6.75 6.49
China Construction Bank Special - - - -
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special - 5.79 - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 7.65 5.99 5.75 5.69
Co-operative Bank - Standard 7.65 6.49 6.25 6.19
Credit Union Auckland 7.70 - - -
First Credit Union Special - 6.40 6.10 -
First Credit Union Standard 8.50 7.00 6.70 -
Heartland Bank - Online 7.49 ▼5.65 ▼5.55 ▼5.55
Heartland Bank - Reverse Mortgage - - - -
Heretaunga Building Society 8.90 7.00 6.50 -
ICBC 7.49 5.99 5.65 5.59
Kainga Ora 8.39 7.05 6.59 6.49
Kainga Ora - First Home Buyer Special - - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Kiwibank 7.75 6.89 6.59 6.49
Kiwibank - Offset 8.25 - - -
Kiwibank Special 7.75 5.99 5.69 5.69
Liberty 8.59 8.69 8.79 8.94
Nelson Building Society 8.44 ▼6.39 ▼6.09 -
Pepper Money Advantage 10.49 - - -
Pepper Money Easy 8.69 - - -
Pepper Money Essential 8.29 - - -
SBS Bank 7.99 6.95 6.29 6.29
SBS Bank Special - ▼6.15 5.69 5.69
SBS Construction lending for FHB - - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
SBS FirstHome Combo 5.44 ▼5.15 - -
SBS FirstHome Combo - - - -
SBS Unwind reverse equity 9.75 - - -
TSB Bank 8.69 6.79 6.49 6.49
TSB Special 7.89 5.99 5.69 5.69
Unity ▼7.64 5.99 5.69 -
Unity First Home Buyer special - 5.49 - -
Wairarapa Building Society 8.50 ▼6.19 ▼5.79 -
Westpac 8.39 6.89 6.39 6.39
Westpac Choices Everyday 8.49 - - -
Westpac Offset 8.39 - - -
Lender Flt 1yr 2yr 3yr
Westpac Special - 6.29 5.79 5.79
Median 7.99 6.17 5.79 5.69

Last updated: 30 October 2024 9:36am

Previous News

MORE NEWS»

News Bites
Compare Mortgage Rates
Compare
From
To
For

To graph multiple lenders, hold down Ctrl key while clicking in list box

Also compare rates to OCR
Find a Mortgage Broker

Add your company

Use map
About Us  |  Advertise  |  Contact Us  |  Terms & Conditions  |  Privacy Policy  |  RSS Feeds  |  Letters  |  Archive  |  Toolbox  |  Disclaimer
 
Site by Web Developer and eyelovedesign.com