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.
澳大利亞統計局報告稱，澳大利亞的通貨膨脹率在12月季度有所減速，消費者物價指數（CPI）僅上漲0.6％，低於上一季度的1.2％。這一增長低於市場預期，市場預期將上漲至0.8％。每年，消費者價格指數增長從5.4％放緩至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.
最新的通貨膨脹數據是澳大利亞儲備銀行（RBA）準備在即將舉行的會議上制定貨幣政策的關鍵因素。儘管經濟放緩，但一些經濟學家堅持認爲，澳洲聯儲可能會選擇在本週期中再次加息，以解決服務業持續的通貨膨脹問題。
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.
在國際上，交易者一直在縮減對加息的預期，這種趨勢在美國尤其明顯。在澳大利亞，人們認爲在下一次澳洲聯儲會議上加息的可能性幾乎不存在。但是，市場已經對下半年可能的降息進行了充分的定價。
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.
聯儲局計劃很快宣佈其貨幣政策決定，這可能會影響澳大利亞央行在夏季休會後的2月5日至6日開會時作出的政策選擇。澳大利亞央行最後一次加息發生在11月。