Cash Rate Unchanged

Cash Rate Unchanged

The Reserve Bank today left the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.25 percent. The housing market was mentioned as has regularly been the case of recent times.

“”There are some indications that house price inflation in Auckland may be picking up. House prices remain at very high levels and additional housing supply is needed. Housing market pressures are building in some other regions””

Keeping a wary eye on what is happening in Australia given that the large lenders here are all Aussie owned it was interesting to note that yesterday Westpac Australia announced it has stopped lending to foreign property buyers and non – residents. The bank also said it was tightening lending requirements on Australian citizens and permanent visa holders who depended on overseas income, reducing the maximum amount it will lend on property to 70 per cent.