The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) has been given another nudge towards raising interest rates less than seven days before it has its latest Official Cash Rate review.
A quarterly survey the Reserve Bank pays close attention to with regard to its monetary policy settings is again showing higher expectations of the future levels of inflation. (PDF with survey detail is here.)
The latest Survey of Expectations shows that respondents expect inflation of 2.27% in two years' time.
Remember, the RBNZ is charged with maintaining inflation between 1% and 3% and explicitly targets a 2% rate.
Shorter term expectations of inflation have risen rapidly, in line with the actual recent rises. The one year out inflation expectation has surged to 3.02% from just 1.87% in the previous quarter.
The results are significant with the RBNZ's next interest rate decision just under a week away.
And the survey results come hot on the heels of a series of major economic data releases that have all showed the economy running far hotter than had been forecast. First among the series of positive economic shocks was the stunning 1.6% March quarter increase in GDP released in June. This was against an RBNZ expectation of a 0.6% drop.
Then there was the scorching 3.3% annual inflation figure to June released last month. The RBNZ expected 2.6%.
And finally there was the phenomenal 4% unemployment figure for the June quarter released last week. The RBNZ expected 4.7%.
Most economists are now expecting the Official Cash Rate to be raised to 1.0% by the RBNZ before the end of this year. At the moment it is still on the emergency 0.25% setting that the RBNZ dropped it to (from 1.0%) in March 2020 as the Covid crisis bit.
The RBNZ has its next OCR decision on Wednesday, August 18.
The RBNZ Survey of Expectations is a New Zealand-wide quarterly survey of business managers and professionals. Respondents for this survey include a mixture of professional forecasters, economists and industry leaders operating in New Zealand. Nielsen conducts the survey on behalf of the Reserve Bank. Respondents are asked for their expectations of future outcomes of a range of key macroeconomic data.
This survey is conducted in February, May, August and November.
The survey carries a lot of sway with the RBNZ. In the past the central bank has been known to move the Official Cash Rate in response to sudden movements in inflation expectations. For example a completely unexpected cut to the OCR that the RBNZ did in March 2016, followed on very closely from a 26-basis-point fall in two-year-ahead expected inflation in this same survey series, released shortly before the OCR decision was made.
25 Comments
The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) has been [sic] another nudge towards raising interest rates less than seven days before it has its latest Official Cash Rate review.
RBNZ paid 0.47% today, at it's 4 week $50m RB Bill offering to one investor. It was paying 0.25% back on 20 July 2021.
So inflation expectations are higher? Is that because everyone asked is perfectly rational and has studied the data, or is it because the media is absolutely saturated with 'inflation is coming' stories?!?
Fiscal stimulus is tapering off, wages are going nowhere, temporary jobs are behind the jobs increases, commodities are coming down in price, and, if RBNZ are daft enough to put rates up, we will also see cuts to disposable income / consumer spending and, therefore deflationary pressure.
I did not say there was no inflation. I am making the point that the fundamentals all point to this being primarily a temporary surge in prices following huge disruptions to supply chains (and changes in patterns of demand). Thus, some products and services are getting more expensive. Some things (e.g. building costs) will be expensive for a while as the demand will continue to rise, but as long as wages don't go through the roof, the impact of all of this will simply be relative adjustments to prices / spending patterns and a settle back to where we were. I am not including house prices within the scope of the above analysis as they are a speculative asset these days.
Well, even if the RBNZ increases the OCR by a paltry amount - Retails Banks still have access to the RBNZ's 'Funding for Lending Program' and therefore still have access to rates lower than the OCR?? [I think that's right ??].
Not to mention 'real interest rates' will still be significantly negative.. it's all a bit irrelevant. With the RBNZ 'in control' of the money printing and only willing to furnish those with real estate - losing confidence in our monetary system isn't so fringe anymore. Many do understandably love the status quo and/or are dependent on it.
With this latest report, there is no excuse left for not starting an aggressive cycle of interest rates rises now. They must be normalized and the OCR must be at least at 2.5% by mid next year.
But next week Orr will raise by 50 points only, as he does not have the competence nor the balls to return the OCR now where it should be, which means at 1%.
It's simple people who are already under pump with big mortgages don't want rise in OCR. FHB, renters & young kiwis want it to rise so that property will be little affordable (the chance is rare).
If interest is not increased substantially, in that case the already inflated market will go over the roof coming summer.
Damage is done but you can still harm it more by wait & watch.
About Delta variant it is here to stay, will not go for next couple of years.
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