澳洲联储“二把手”放鹰：通胀依然“过高” 不能任其持续

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that inflation in Australia remains "too high," posing a significant challenge for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which cannot allow this situation to persist for too long [1] - The RBA has become the first major central bank globally to raise interest rates this year, with indications that at least one more rate hike is expected in the coming months [1] - Current forecasts suggest that both overall and core inflation rates in Australia will exceed the RBA's target range of 2-3% this year [1] Group 2 - Part of the inflation increase in Australia is attributed to the RBA's measures aimed at achieving an economic soft landing, avoiding excessive rate hikes in the post-pandemic era [2] - The RBA has lowered the potential growth rate of the economy to approximately 2% due to long-term weak productivity growth [2] - Recent data shows a decline in consumer confidence following the RBA's rate hike, and a survey indicates a deterioration in the business environment, with consumer confidence remaining below long-term averages [2] Group 3 - The next RBA meeting is scheduled for mid-March, where decision-makers will review January's employment and inflation reports, as well as fourth-quarter GDP data [2] - Most economists expect the RBA to raise the cash rate from the current 3.85% to 4.1% in May after analyzing the first-quarter inflation data [2] - The RBA's Deputy Governor, Andrew Hauser, refrained from directly criticizing government spending, which is seen as a contributor to rising inflation [6]