Australia’s central bank is poised to keep interest rates unchanged for a third straight meeting, with traders and economists on alert for any shift toward a more hawkish tone that might signal the possibility of hikes next year.
Economists anticipate the Reserve Bank will keep the cash rate at 3.6% at its Dec. 8-9 meeting, and overnight-indexed swaps reinforce that view. But the swaps are pricing a pivot back to tightening in mid-2026 due to renewed inflation pressures, resilient domestic demand and a still-tight labor market.