Trade protectionism biggest uncertainty for RBNZ

Trade protectionism biggest uncertainty for RBNZ
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Feb. 9 (BusinessDesk) - A growing tide of trade protectionism led by US president Donald Trump is one of the biggest uncertainties for New Zealand's Reserve Bank, governor Graeme Wheeler says.  The central bank kept the official cash rate 1.75 percent and adopted a neutral bias, with increases built into the track of the benchmark rate from mid-2019.  The election of Trump and the prospect of deregulation, tax reform, and infrastructure spending has driven up US interest rates on expectations the Federal Reserve will rai...