The cash rate is the overnight money market interest rate implemented by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia meet monthly to determine the cash rate for the following month, taking into account various economic conditions, both globally and domestically. Since August 2013, the cash rate in Australia has been at a record low, of 2.5 per cent (Reserve Bank of Australia, 2013). The three factors which will be considered in determining the cash rate for October 2014 are; the housing market “boom”, the falling value of the Australian dollar and iron ore prices trading at an all time low. Based on these three factors, on the 4th of October, the cash rate should be kept at the current rate of 2.5 per cent.
With the latest inflation result showing inflation to be around the mid band target of the 2-3% target, no immediate cash rate decisions need to be made to control inflation. The cash rate is closely related to the monetary policy. As the inflation target helps the RBA achieve its three objectives of monetary policy, and the cash rate ultimately influences the level of inflation in the economy, the cash rate and monetary policy can be seen to be closely related. The three objectives of monetary policy are; maintaining price stability, full employment and economic prosperity and welfare of the Australian people (Reserve Bank of Australia, 2013). The objectives of monetary policy will also be covered in this essay and how the current will
Australia’s economic status can be assessed using a range of economic indicators such as unemployment rates, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation rates and interest rates. The economy can affect Australian business’s greatly causing them to flow through the business cycle. The business cycle purpose is to describe the overall trends of the economy and can show growths of high or negative. The four stages in a business cycle are: expansion, this is when the economy has high demands; peak, this is the turning point of the expansions before the economy falls down. A contraction is when the demand for goods and services are low; and trough, is the opposite of a peak. To evaluate Australia’s current economic status factors such as unemployment
In this report you will find current and past trends and target values for these indicators and the current macroeconomic policies of the Federal Government of Australia and the RBA.
The size of financial flows out of Australia The level of financial flows out of Australia will also be determined by the domestic interest rates relative to overseas as well as international confidence in Australia and other economies. If Australian interest rates are relatively lower and the confidence in the Australian economy has deteriorated, capital outflow will increase, thus increasing the supply of AUD. At the present, interest rates are at low levels, however they are expected to rise in the near future as economic confidence and growth are relatively high. This means there will not be a large increase in the supply of Australian dollars.
There are numerous reasons for the sudden decline in value of Australian currency, one of which is the renewed strength of the US dollar, due to the American economy’s acceleration through its recovery. However, there is the additional fact that the RBA has been cutting interest rates, resulting in Australia becoming a less attractive place for investors, as well as the continual impacts of deteriorating commodity prices
First we must look and account for the causes for the recent trends in balance of payments. This is very important as it reflects key features of the structure of the economy and highlights the imbalances in the relationship between Australia and the economy. In particular, we must inspect the current account deficit (CAD), which is when the debits are greater than the credits recorded as a percentage of GDP and is an accurate indicator of the economy’s current position.
Employment in Australia is on the rise with most people who are willing and able to work now having the opportunity to do so. Economists consider 5% unemployment which was the value in January recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Greater number of jobs created because of factors such as the mining boom and the recovery effect in Queensland because of the floods will further lower the unemployment rate. This will have the effect of consumers having more disposable income thus requiring an increase in long term interest rates.
To begin, the article explains the Federal Reserve’s plan to take a careful approach to enacting contractionary monetary policies, policies used to decrease money supply, in the future. Last December the Federal Reserve raised the interest rates after they had been near zero for years to ensure inflation was kept in check and to promote economic growth. It appeared the economy would be in for another increase in the interest rates sometime this year, but the Feds have rethought that strategy. If the Federal Reserve were to continue to raise interest rates it would have short-run and long-run effects on the Money Market, Goods and Services Market, Planned Investment, Phillip Curve, and Aggregated Supply and Demand. These effects are aspects that have to be considered because they express and explain the effects the increase in interest rates has on the economy and explain if the Federal Reserve is enacting the correct policy to achieve their goal.
In recent years, department stores industry has contracted since the hit of Global Financial Crisis creating shock on consumers’ confidence (Figure 2), despite Australia’s narrow escape from going into recession (Uren, 2009). As a result, the marginal propensity skyrocketed after GFC effect hit the economy from nearly mere 3% in mid-2007 to 12% in late-2008 (Figure 3). To stimulate the economy, RBA employs monetary policy by continuously lower cash rate since 2011 (RBA, 2012).
Most people don’t understand Economic growth or what takes place in the economy with regard to inflation, unemployment, or interest rates. These things are all regulated by the central bank called the Federal Reserve System. The tope covered in this paper is the monetary policy which is the policy that decides if unemployment, interest, and inflation decreases or increases. The Monetary policy decides what price a person pays for an item at the store, how much interest a person will get charged on a loan for a car. This is something most people consider, most just look for the best price point or look where their money can go the farthest.
The benchmark investment rate in Australia was last recorded at 2.25%. Investment Rate in Australia found the middle value of 5.13 percent from 1990 until 2015, arriving at an unequaled high of 17.50 percent in January of 1990. Inflation Rate in Australia averaged 5.21 percent from 1951 until 2014. Customer costs in Australia rose 1.7% during the time to the December quarter 2014, the slowest yearly pace in more than two years as petrol costs dove. Australian yearly inflation rate abated to 2.3% in the second from last quarter of 2014 from 3.0 % in the past period, determined by a fall in cost of electricity, after the removal of tax duty on carbon discharge beginning early July. An alternate key variable that impacts the business is the unemployment rate. While the unemployment is staying high it is normal that RBA will keep the investment rates and trade rates low. Unemployment Rate in Australia diminished to 6.30% in February of 2015 from 6.40% in January of 2015. Unemployment Rate in Australia found to be in between 6.91% from 1978 until
It widely recognized that the monetary policy within a country should be primarily concerned with the pursuit of price stability. However, it is still not clear how this objective can be achieved most effectively. This debate remains unsettled, but an increasing number of countries have adopted inflation targeting as their monetary policy framework. (Dr E J van der Merwe, 2002) This topic of Inflation targeting is a subject which immediately conjures different perceptions from different people. Many feel that low inflation should be a main aim of monetary policy, while others (such as trade union activists) believe that a higher growth rate to stimulate jobs should be the main concern.
It is said that we are living in turbulent times. The Australia’s once-in-a-century commodity boom has reversed, leading many miners to cut back on investments and consolidate; which is expected to generate great social and economic hardship throughout these years. While more hope is casted into the construction sector, a cooling change blows in the housing market. Unemployment is tipped to rise and when it reaches a record high; consumption will continue to grow at a below-average pace, so business sentiment will remain fragile. Rather than fuelling the economy, the fiscal policy keeps straining it whilst the monetary policy will struggle to have an impact – indicating that the Australian economy is slipping downwards.
Booms, busts, recessions, and growth; all of the preceding terms are characteristics of a typical market economy. There are times when an economy can flourish spectacularly and there are times when it can fail miserably. Consequently, it is the responsibility of a nation’s central bank to manage these fluctuations through conducting effective monetary policy. The following paper will assume the perspective of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and critically analyze the past, present, and future of the Australian economy while considering specific sectors.
Monetary policy, ‘The government’s policy relating to the money supply, bank interest rates, and borrowing’ (Collin: 130), is another tool available to the government to control inflation. Figure 4 shows, that by increasing the interest rate (r), from r1 to r2, the supply of money (ms) is reduced from Q1
Lowering interest rates is an effective way to stimulate and improve the economy. When rates are lower, it is easier and more affordable to borrow money. This encourages spending and investment, both which help propel the economy forward.