There were no data releases from Australia last week. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Official Cash rate is still at 1.50%, a record low and the longest unchanged interest rate in the country’s history. No changes are fully-priced into rate futures markets until the end of 2019. No wonder, perhaps then, that the poor old Aussie Dollar should be struggling. The problem for both Asia Pacific economies is, of course inflation; the lack of it, to be specific. While neither country is performing especially badly, particularly on the employment front, pricing power remains stubbornly absent. Japanese consumer price inflation got up to 1.5% in February of this year. That was a near three-year high and the sight of it raised hopes that the BoJ’s 2% target might be within reach.
From Australia, on Friday, New Home Sales figures were released. The first half of 2018 has seen a downward trend in new house sales. Sales across the five mainland states declined by 4.4 per cent in May, representing a fifth consecutive monthly fall. Sales are now 14.1 per cent lower than in May 2017. The deterioration of sales over the year to date reflects the shifts in housing market conditions. The availability of credit has tightened over the past 12 months with banks responding to the decline in house prices and the Banking Royal Commission.
Figures to watch:
RBA Rate Statement/Cash Rate (Tuesday 5:30)
Retail Sales (Wednesday 2:30)
Trade Balance (Wednesday 2:30)
Last modified on Friday, 29 June 2018
