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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Peter Hannam

Shock interest rate rise shows Australia’s economic exceptionalism is fading

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe announces the 25 basis point cash rate increase.
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe announces the 25 basis point cash rate increase. Photograph: Louie Douvis/AAP

In a world of economic shocks, the questions left by Tuesday’s surprisingly large increase in the official interest rate include what will bring the next thunderbolt.

After all, not one of 32 economists surveyed ahead of the Reserve Bank’s monthly meeting predicted the board would emerge with a 25 basis point cash rate increase, finally liberating it from the record low 0.1% it had hovered at since November 2020.

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