RBNZ forecasts for the OCR show they do not expect to cut this year at all
Sees official cash rate at 1.01% in June 2020 (previous 0.9%)
Sees official cash rate at 1.03% in March 2021 (previous 0.9%)
Sees official cash rate at 1.1% in June 2021 (previous 0.94%)
Overall impact of coronavirus on New Zealand will be of a short duration
Risks that impact will be larger and more persistent
Low rates necessary to keep employment and inflation around target
economic growth expected to accelerate over second half of 2020
Employment is at or slightly above its max sustainable level
Inflation close to 2% mid point
Committee agreed low interest rates had helped to get employment and inflation to around their target levels
Committee discussed financial stability risks from ongoing low rates
Members noted the bank's assessment that marginal changes to the ocr would not materially affect these risks at this time
Members discussed the better mix of policy stimulus in the projections, given additional fiscal stimulus is reducing the burden on monetary policy
Committee discussed alternative cash rate settings and the various trade-offs involved