降息预期幻灭!澳洲12月消费者信心骤降9%，加息警报或于2026年重响

Group 1 - The core consumer confidence index in Australia dropped significantly by 9% to 94.5 points in December, indicating a shift in sentiment as pessimists outnumber optimists again [1] - The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has signaled the end of its short-term rate cut cycle, with a possibility of rate hikes resuming in 2026, contributing to the decline in consumer confidence [1] - The Westpac-Melbourne Institute mortgage rate expectations index surged by 65.4% over the past three months, with a monthly increase of 22.2% in December, reflecting heightened concerns over future interest rates [1] Group 2 - The future economic outlook index fell by 9.7% to 94.6, indicating a deteriorating perception of the economy among consumers [3] - The index measuring the timing for purchasing big-ticket items decreased by 11.4% to 98.9, entering a mildly pessimistic zone [3] - The housing purchase timing index dropped by 10.6% to 86.2, suggesting a more hawkish view on interest rates among consumers [3] Group 3 - Despite the sharp shift in interest rate expectations, consumers remain relatively unconcerned about the labor market, as the unemployment expectations index decreased by 9.1% to 126.8 [2]