Australia's Q4 Inflation Rate Eases to 0.6%, Falling Below Expectations
Australia's Q4 Inflation Rate Eases to 0.6%, Falling Below Expectations
Australia's inflation rate decelerated in the December quarter, with the consumer price index (CPI) rising by just 0.6 percent, down from 1.2 percent in the previous quarter, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This increase fell below market expectations, which had predicted a rise to 0.8 percent. Annually, the CPI growth moderated to 4.1 percent from 5.4 percent.
澳大利亚统计局报告称，澳大利亚的通货膨胀率在12月季度有所减速，消费者物价指数（CPI）仅上涨0.6％，低于上一季度的1.2％。这一增长低于市场预期，市场预期将上涨至0.8％。每年，消费者价格指数增长从5.4％放缓至4.1％。
This latest inflation data is a critical factor for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) as it prepares to set monetary policy in its upcoming meeting. Despite the slowdown, some economists maintain that the RBA may opt for one more rate hike in this cycle to address persistent inflation in the services sector.
最新的通货膨胀数据是澳大利亚储备银行（RBA）准备在即将举行的会议上制定货币政策的关键因素。尽管经济放缓，但一些经济学家坚持认为，澳洲联储可能会选择在本周期中再次加息，以解决服务业持续的通货膨胀问题。
Internationally, traders have been scaling back expectations for rate hikes, with this trend particularly noticeable in the United States. In Australia, the likelihood of an interest rate rise in the next RBA meeting is perceived to be almost non-existent. However, the market has fully priced in a potential rate cut for the latter half of the year.
在国际上，交易者一直在缩减对加息的预期，这种趋势在美国尤其明显。在澳大利亚，人们认为在下一次澳洲联储会议上加息的可能性几乎不存在。但是，市场已经对下半年可能的降息进行了充分的定价。
The US Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its monetary policy decision soon, which could sway the RBA's own policy choices when it meets on February 5-6 following its summer recess. The last rate increase from Australia's central bank occurred in November.
美联储计划很快宣布其货币政策决定，这可能会影响澳大利亚央行在夏季休会后的2月5日至6日开会时作出的政策选择。澳大利亚央行最后一次加息发生在11月。