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MR - Experts Views

Further rate cut unlikely to inflame housing market

Monday 17th of August 2009

The ASB Business Weekly report says suggestions were aired last week that cutting the OCR could push the NZ dollar higher, through lower interest rates exacerbating the domestic-led economic recovery in a repeat of 2003.

"However, we don't think the RBNZ will be running too much risk of inflaming the housing market further by cutting the OCR," it says.

"At best we see a lower OCR slowing the upward momentum of interest rates rather than triggering drops, as well as denting the NZ dollar for a period. Doing so may make life a little easier for some NZ businesses."

ASB says interest rates remained steady over the previous week, with swap rates dipping earlier in the week, but recovering later on - in step with Australian markets.

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