Is raising rates the wrong answer to inflation?

Is raising rates the wrong answer to inflation?
ProPublica said shipping line margins hit 57% in the March quarter from single digits pre-pandemic. (Image: NZ Herald)
Jenny Ruth
Something tells me raising interest rates is the wrong response to the undoubtedly worrying high inflation the world is experiencing.Our own Reserve Bank started relatively early, hiking its official cash rate (OCR) from 0.25% to 2% between October and late May, and it will probably hike a further 50 basis points to 2.5% when it releases its next monetary policy statement on July 13.But it’s far from alone. The US Federal Reserve hiked by 75bps last week, its biggest hike in nearly 30 years and its third move up since March.Around the wor...

More Economy

R&D spending lifts as businesses look to tap new markets
Economy

R&D spending lifts as businesses look to tap new markets

The average expenditure per business rose 20% in a year.

Rebecca Howard 26 Apr 2024
Consumers more downbeat, confidence survey finds
Economy

Consumers more downbeat, confidence survey finds

The rating in the latest ANZ-Roy Morgan opinion poll fell 4 points to 82.1.

Staff reporters 26 Apr 2024
RBNZ's inflation target conundrum
Economy

Cameron Bagrie: RBNZ's inflation target conundrum

A debate is pending on the inflation target as economic pain rises.

Cameron Bagrie 25 Apr 2024
NZ continues to cut trade deficit
Economy

NZ continues to cut trade deficit

Imports were down $1.9 billion, or 25%, compared to March last year.

Murray Jones 24 Apr 2024