Australia Westpac Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index witnessed a significant 9.4% increase in April, jumping from 78.4 in March to 85.8. This remarkable recovery can be largely attributed to RBA’s decision to pause rate hikes during its April meeting, breaking a sequence of ten consecutive meetings with cash rate increases.
However, confidence remains weak, sitting -10.4% lower than April of the previous year, before the tightening cycle began. Respondents continue to exercise caution, with 34.11% still expecting the Standard Variable Rate to rise by more than 1% over the year, although this figure is down from 44.55%.
Regarding the RBA’s meeting on May 2, Westpac noted that the central bank would benefit from a clean read on underlying inflation from the March quarter Inflation Report, set to be released on April 26, as well as staff’s refreshed economic forecasts. Westpac anticipates that a final 0.25% increase in the cash rate during the May Board meeting would be the best policy approach, rather than waiting for additional information and risking higher rates later in the cycle.
