
A jump in unemployment renews expectations for interest rate cuts
The unemployment rate spiked to a four year high of 4.5 per cent in September, up from 3.4 per cent at the low of the cycle and is now above the RBA’s forecast made in August for a peak of 4.3 per cent. The result rekindled expectations for further interest rate cuts, as soon as its next meeting on 4 November.
Recall that under the revised mandate of the RBA, maintaining full employment sits along side the inflation target as a fundamental objective of the Bank. The key data ahead of the next RBA meeting is the September quarter inflation data which is scheduled for 29 October.