Views divided on when OCR will start rising
Bollard is expected to leave his official cash rate (OCR) unchanged at 2.5% with the market focusing on clues as to when the first rate hike of the cycle will be.
Economists are divided on how soon that hike will come with views ranging from as soon as January through to July while the market is currently pricing in an April hike.
Jane Turner at ASB Bank is backing the market's view, forecasting a 50 basis point rise to 3% in April,$ although she expects Bollard to "stick to the script" on Thursday of no hikes until the second half of the year.
Since September, the global outlook has improved, as has consumer and business confidence, while house price inflation has gained momentum and general inflation pressures are unwinding slower than expected, Turner says.
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