McCombe Mortgages and Finance

19/08/2026

Interest Rate Update, 19 August 2026:

Current Status & Outlook

🏦 The Cash Rate: Stays at 4.35%, as the RBA balances persistent underlying inflation against signs of a slowing economy and easing labor market.

📅 Next RBA Announcement: Scheduled for September 29, 2026, with money markets and economists anticipating policy settings to remain restrictive.

🔮 Future Outlook: Major bank forecasts continue to project potential rate relief starting in mid-2027, with the RBA reiterating that returning inflation to the midpoint of its target range remains its primary focus.

05/08/2026

Interest Rate Update August 2026:

Australia's official cash rate sits at 4.35%, held steady by the Reserve Bank of Australia during its June meeting following three rate hikes earlier in the year.

Current Status and Outlook
The Cash Rate: Stays at 4.35%, balancing sticky inflation against employment.

Next Announcement: Scheduled for August 11, 2026, with major banks anticipating a continued hold.

Future Cuts: Major banks (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ) forecast potential rate relief or easing to begin mid-2027.

Send a message to learn more

19/03/2026

Why oil matters so much for inflation and, therefore, interest rates

The impact of the Iran War is far more than expensive petrol. Higher oil prices have secondary inflationary impacts that reverberate throughout the economy which could be bad news for Australians with mortgages.

03/02/2026

Wonder why rates went up today?
Alan Kohler (ABC) explains it in this video:

News from the world of finance and business. Top stories in text, video and audio. Business video news bulletin. Features and analysis.

30/10/2025

Will we get any further rate cuts at all this cycle?

A shock from the all-important consumer price index has left economists rewriting their rates outlooks, ahead of the Reserve Bank meeting next week.

22/10/2025

I'm a fan of the Envelope Method of budgeting! Read about it here:

05/09/2025

How many more times will the RBA cut? Good GDP numbers earlier in the week temper expectations:

The Australian economy has grown slightly faster than economists were expecting thanks to a dramatic increase in household spending, increasing expectations that the RBA might be close to done with rate cuts.

05/09/2025

Record low number of active listings in Perth; I remember when there were over 13,000 properties for sale here just a few years ago:

REIWA President Suzanne Brown said an unusually low number of new listings over Winter, coupled with ongoing strong demand had seen active listings continue to decline.

04/06/2025

What to do with your rate cut money - Invest or pay off the mortgage faster?