To hike or not to hike? That is the question

To hike or not to hike? That is the question
The Reserve Bank is likely to hike interest rates, but not everyone thinks it should. (Image: BusinessDesk)
Rebecca Howard
Most market watchers say the central bank will hike interest rates next week but not everyone agrees it’s the right course of action. Are they right?  The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is widely expected to lift the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 0.75% on Wed and signal more hikes to come.It really all comes down to whether you think the inflationary pressures hitting the economy are “transitory” or permanent, and how worried you are about the latest covid-19 outbreak and the impact of delta into the...

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Rebecca Howard 26 Nov 2025