Higher interest rates: kooky talk – or is it?

ANZ gave a hawkish call on interest rates. (Image: Getty)

Tue, 13 Feb 2024

It seems a preposterous proposition: a central banking hiking interest rates with an economy already in recession.ANZ economists have been daring enough to project another 50 basis points of increases in the official cash rate (OCR).Such a large increase is assumed because, if you need to resume tightening – the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) last hiked in April 2023 – you wouldn’t tinker and just raise rates once.Shock-jock economistsI got emails questioning the potential for a hike. After all, one bank was calling f...

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