FXStreet (Bali) – The Australian Dollar was knocked down quite aggressively following news that CBA (Commonwealth Bank of Australia) has lifted it’s SVR (standard variable rate) on home loans by 15 bps, briefly breaking the 0.72 handle against the US Dollar in thin Asian trade.
The move by CBA follows steps previously taken on Oct 14th by Westpac, when it announced its plans to raise variable home loan interest rates by 0.2% – to take effect from November 20 – , blamed on an adjustment towards new rules which force banks to hold larger capital buffers.
There has been speculation that the RBA might be once again under the spotlight, pressured to cut rates further from its current 2% record low, should other banks follow Westpac’s move to raise SVR on home loans. The confirmation by CBA to raise its SVR rate on home loans will only fuel even further the chatter.
That said, it is worth noting recent comments by ANZ, right after last Tuesday’s RBA minutes, arguing that “Governor Stevens noted in July that higher mortgage rates were to be expected given the increased capital requirements for major banks”, concluding that announcements on SVR rate hikes on home loans “would not have come as too much of a surprise to the RBA.”
The bank continues to expect the RBA “to wait until next year to cut rates, when the stimulus from housing and the lower AUD are likely to fade.” However, ANZ notes that “if other major banks follow Westpac’s lead in coming weeks, a late 2016 rate cut cannot be ruled out.”
(Market News Provided by FXstreet)