Login
RBA unveils July 2022 cash rate
Find out, in this special announcement brought to you by Legal Home Loans, if the Reserve Bank of Australia has raised interest rates again, after doing so in May – the first rise since November 2020 – and then again in June.
Jerome Doraisamy
In the July interest rate decision from the RBA, the board decided to raise the official cash rate from 0.85 per cent to 1.35 per cent. This marks a 50 basis points increase from last month, at which time there was also a 50 bp increase.
"The resilience of the economy and the higher inflation mean that this extraordinary support is no longer needed. The Board expects to take further steps in the process of normalising monetary conditions in Australia over the months ahead. The size and timing of future interest rate increases will be guided by the incoming data and the Board's assessment of the outlook for inflation and the labour market. The Board is committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that inflation in Australia returns to target over time."
"[Inflation] is being boosted by COVID-related disruptions to supply chains, the war in Ukraine and strong demand which is putting pressure on productive capacity. Monetary policy globally is responding to this higher inflation, although it will be some time yet before inflation returns to target in most countries," he said.
"Inflation in Australia is also high, but not as high as it is in many other countries. Global factors account for much of the increase in inflation in Australia, but domestic factors are also playing a role. Strong demand, a tight labour market and capacity constraints in some sectors are contributing to the upward pressure on prices. The floods are also affecting some prices."
"Inflation is forecast to peak later this year and then decline back towards the 2–3 per cent range next year. As global supply-side problems continue to ease and commodity prices stabilise, even if at a high level, inflation is expected to moderate. Higher interest rates will also help establish a more sustainable balance between the demand for and the supply of goods and services. Medium-term inflation expectations remain well anchored and it is important that this remains the case. A full set of updated forecasts will be published next month following the release of the June quarter CPI, Dr Lowe continued.
Reflecting on the decision, Legal Home Loans director of sales Cullen Haynes called today’s increase is a “substantial jump”.
LHL expects, he said, that banks will pass it on quickly to borrowers.
“Anyone concerned about rising mortgage repayments and impact on household budgets should speak to their bank or broker regarding fixed rate options if not done already,” he advised.
“Mortgage holders locked into historically low fixed rates should be aware that there will be a significant increase in repayment when their fixed term ends which they may want to start budgeting ahead of time for.”
For those seeking new loans, he continued, borrowing capacity will be decreased, as banks factor a higher servicing rate into household affordability when assessing home loan applications.
“It is now more important than ever to gauge borrowing power as well as obtain pre-approval to confirm a purchasing budget before looking at properties,” he warned.
“We expect that interest rates will continue to rise this year and borrowers should also take this into consideration.”
Legal Home Loans director Andrew Johnson recently spoke with Lawyers Weekly about what the May cash rate rise would mean for legal professionals and whether lawyers can benefit from Labor’s new housing policy.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
You can email Jerome at:
