Australia’s central bank cut interest rates to an all-time low of 1.75 percent on Tuesday, the first easing in a year as it seeks to restrain a rising currency and insulate the economy from creeping deflation.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) quarter-point cut sent the local dollar down more than one U.S. cent to $0.7567 as markets wagered a further move to 1.5 percent was now likely.
Banking stocks took off on the prospect of increase demand for mortgages, lifting the benchmark index 1.8 percent.
Speculation of a possible cut flared last week when government data showed inflation had slowed far more than expected in the first quarter of the year.
Content is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please access the RSS feed or contact us at info@marketpulse.com. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.