Debate over timing of the next OCR hike hots up
A www.goodreturns.co.nz survey of 12 economists showed while none are expecting a hike in the official cash rate (OCR) this week, two are now saying the hike could come as early as September and only two now expect Bollard to hold off until March next year. Seven are picking a December hike and the remaining one expects it to come some time in the December quarter.
The OCR currently stands at its lowest ever level of 2.5%. In March, Bollard cut it back to this level because he was worried about the impact of Christchurch's devastating earthquake on February 22 might have on the wider New Zealand economy.
Stephen Toplis at Bank of New Zealand, who is picking rate hikes of 25 basis points in both September and October, says the rationale for March's rate cut has now dissipated.
"Whatever fears the bank might have had as a consequence of that earthquake have not been realised," Toplis says.
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