Reserve Bank of Australia meeting minutes: interest rates are likely to remain steady for an extended period

The minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's August 2024 meeting were released today, and the most important of them are as follows:  

- The Reserve Bank of Australia considered the possibility of raising interest rates but decided that a stable outcome better balanced the risks.

- The Reserve Bank of Australia stated that the interest rate may remain fixed for an extended period.

- The Reserve Bank of Australia has suggested that keeping interest rates steady for longer than markets suggest could help rein in inflation.

- Members of the Reserve Bank of Australia agreed that interest rate cuts are unlikely in the near term.

- The Reserve Bank of Australia stressed the need for vigilance against the rising risks of inflation, and that policy should remain restrictive.

- The Reserve Bank of Australia noted that an immediate increase in interest rates can be justified if the risks to inflation increase strongly.

- The board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of Australia stated that they will need to reassess this possibility at future meetings.

- The board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of Australia noted that they have a limited tolerance for inflation to remain outside the target range.

The minutes tend to tighten more, which pushed the Australian dollar to rise against most currencies.