The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10% at its March meeting. Read the full statement here.
The move follows persistent inflationary pressures. Annual trimmed mean inflation – the RBA’s preferred measure – rose to 3.4% in the 12 months to January 2026, up from 3.3% in December 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, signalling that underlying price pressures have yet to be fully contained.
In a recent speech at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit, RBA governor Michele Bullock pointed to demand outstripping the economy’s supply capacity as a key driver of the inflation pickup. She noted that private demand has been stronger than expected, the labour market remains tight and near-term inflation expectations have edged higher over the past six months.
With inflation still running above the 2–3% target band, the Board judged that further tightening was needed to return inflation to target in a reasonable timeframe.
With rates on the move again, it’s worth taking stock of where your loan stands and whether your current arrangements still work for you. Get in touch here if you’d like to talk through your options.