The Reserve Bank is likely to give serious consideration to pausing interest rates for the first time since it began its record series of hikes, analysts say, but economists are still predicting an eighth consecutive increase when the board meets on Tuesday.
Concerns about the lagging effects of seven rate rises in as many months will be part of discussions at the monthly gathering. So, too, will the looming “mortgage cliff”, with at least $270bn in housing debt coming off historically low fixed-interest rates next year.
