In its half yearly Financial Stability Review (FSR), the RBA indicated a sense of satisfaction with the moderation in house price growth and mortgage lending. RBA Financial Stability Review has ruled out concerns over Australian banks and their exposure to the housing sector and NZ dairy.
APRA, Australia’s banking regulator, has been on a crusade to rein in what had been the rampant growth of lending for housing investment since 2014. They instituted a 10% growth cap to limit for banks, credit unions, and building societies in a bid to put the brakes on lending growth.
Nonetheless, the RBA is monitoring the impact of weaker economic conditions in some markets on mortgage delinquencies; “Public disclosures by the major banks indicate that arrears on housing loans are higher in Queensland and Western Australia than in the rest of the country.”
In addition, the Bank highlighted that while last year’s lending changes have put recent home buyers in a better financial position to withstand a potential shock, low interest rates and solid employment growth have further bolstered the financial positions of existing mortgage holders.
The material has been provided by InstaForex Company – www.instaforex.com